Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers
by Lily Nadesico
Summary: Sidestory to EmperorDraco7's Rise of Heroes. Join Jonathan and Abelia as, starting from their native land of Oblivia, they set out to become master trainers, learning many valuable lessons along the way. T for safety, might go up.
1. Chapter 1

**Rise Of Heroes: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, Nintendo and Gamefreaks do. I only own the Original Characters that will appear in this story, which is a side story to EmperorDraco7's Rise Of Heroes. This story is loosely based on several side games. I would like to thank EmperorDraco for allowing me to add this side story to his main Pokemon fanfiction, and I hope it will be a worthy addition to his epic!

With that said, let's start our new adventure!

**oooooooooo**

**Prologue – Start of a New Journey**

The continent of Oblivia, a mysterious place where several legends of the world of Pokemon were born…

A place of mystery and adventure, just like the rest of that magnificent and still most unexplored world, populated with people and Pokemon helping each other in their journey through life.

A place where the authors of a page of history are about to begin their journey, learning many lessons along the way…

Oblivia. This is where a couple of young adventurers will begin taking their first steps towards becoming legends in the world of Pokemon…

**oooooooooo**

"Well then… everything is ready! I guess I am ready to depart!" a young boy, about 9 or 10 years of age, stated enthusiastically as he surveyed his backpack and the belongings he was going to take with him on his journey to become a world-famous Pokemon trainer. This young boy, Jonathan Seabright, was a jolly-looking boy with spiky chestnut-brown hair, kept from alling on his forehead with an orange headband, and wearing a blue short-sleeved jacket with a light blue shirt underneath, fingerless black gloves, a pair of dark blue shorts and red trainers on white socks, a typical fashion for those who travelled in the wilderness to catch and train Pokemon. He was now checking that everything he needed was inside, and he was carrying a couple Pokeballs on his belt, along with a dark blue Pokedex in one of his jacket's inner pockets. He was feeling very excited, and with good reason - this was the day he would become an official Pokemon trainer, along with his best friend… it was going to be a life-changing event for both of them, or at least, that's what Jonathan hoped…

With a smile, the young boy glanced at the two Pokeball hanging from his belt – the two Pokemon he had been friends with for about one year now, and who had pretty much volunteered to be his starters for this journey. "Well then… this is it, Oshawott… Omanyte… so begins our adventure! As soon as everything is ready, we'll go fetch Abelia at her house, and then… well we'll think of something, right? We'll start our training, and look for a chance to make our names known! I'm sure we're in for a great adventure!"

He was sure he could hear his two starters cheering on him from inside his Pokeballs… and after patting the containing spheres in a friendly manner, he checked his backpack one last time and placed it upon his shoulders. Satisfied, he stepped out of his room, giving it one last glance before leaving it for good, and went downstairs, where his parents – a couple of historians who had been working on several of Oblivia's greatest mysteries – were waiting for him to give him the last farewells.

"Mom… Dad…" Jonathan said, hugging them as he reached the ground floor. "I'm going to miss you… but don't worry, I'll be keeping in touch with you! And as soon as I can, I will come back and visit you! Thanks for letting me go on this journey!"

"Think nothing of that, son!" Mr. Seabright, a still youthful-looking man with short black hair and looking glasses, dressed in conservative clothing under a white labcoat, said. "I'm glad you and your friend are getting into this adventure, and I'm sure you two will be able to make a name for yourselves soon!"

"Thanks, Daddy!" Jonathan thanked his father, before his mom placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"I know you and Abelia are going to be great trainers!" Mrs. Seabright commented. "Only thing I ask you is, give us news about you and your friend sometime! And best of luck to you both!"

"You too… and don't overwork yourselves, okay?" Jonathan said, giving his mom a hug. "I know you've got your hands full with your jobs at the historians' club, but don't overdo it, okay? And please… tell me about your latest discoveries when I call!"

Mrs. Seabright chuckled. "Hehehee… don't worry, dear, we will be sure to tell you all about them! Good luck, Jonathan… I'm sure you will make us both proud!"

"And remember, whenever you need a hand… we'll always be there for you!" his father answered, placing an hand proudly on his son's shoulder.

"Thank you… Mom… Dad… I won't ever forget it!" the young beginning trainer answered, treasuring the last few minute he was going to spend in his home before starting his journey…

**oooooooooo**

"Well, here I am… I still can't believe this is happening… I'm a full-fledged Pokemon trainer now!" he said to himself, as he walked along an unpaved country road, towards a lush forest. "And I'm not sure what I should do now… I mean, Oblivia doesn't exactly have the greatest tradition in Gym Leaders and Pokemon Leagues… but I'm sure I'll think of something when the time comes! But before I do that… first thing I must do is go fetch Abelia at her house… I had promised her I would be there early on, and if I were late, she wouldn't let me hear the end of it!"

Chuckling to himself, Jonathan walked into the forest, keeping on the visible paved road he had been accustomized to follow for three years now, and followed the path for a few minutes, until he came into a wide, peaceful-looking clearing surrounded by tall Mediterranean trees, with a small and rather neglect cottage standing right in the middle of it. The young boy smiled to himself, with an hint of sadness – that was another place that was always going to remain in his heart, the house where his best friend Abelia, an aspiring trainer like him, lived. They had known each other ever since they were little, after Abelia's parents had guided his own in an expedition of another island of the Oblivia Archipelago… and ever since then, Abelia had been his greatest friend and playmate, until the incident that had changed Abelia's life and outlook forever…

"I just hope this new experience can do something for her outlook…" Jonathan said to himself, before walking towards the main entrance and calling his friend. "Abelia! Hey, Abelia! It's me, Jonathan! It's time to go, we're starting our journey, just like we agreed! Are you ready?"

For a while, there was no response from inside the house… which, in fact, looked like it hadn't been inhabited in a while. The windows were closed, with several curtains drawn, and the weeds near the walls had grown quite a lot, turning the surroundings of the house in some sort of underwood. Several items, mostly old toys or gardening tools, lay dispersed near the entrance, seemingly forgotten. Jonathan was not surprised at seeing that, since he had been several times to Abelia's house and was accustomized to its state… but nevertheless, he couldn't help but ask himself how his friends could live among that neglect.

Finally, the bright, yet somewhat weary voice of a girl around his age answered from the inside. "Jonathan… it's so awfully early! I barely had time to get ready… couldn't you have waited a little longer?" the girl living in that forlorn place answered, not bothering with pleasantries. Again, this did not surprise Jonathan in the least, as the young boy was used to his best friend's usual ways, and had come to accept them as normal.

"Sorry about that, Abi!" he answered with a sheepish chuckle, using the nickname he had given her several years ago, back when they had become friends. "I guess I was so excited to start the journey that I didn't care about the time! Anyway… I have already gotten my things ready, and I said goodbye to my… erm… parents…"

He immediately regretted saying that. There was a reason why Abelia lived alone in that house – her parents were Pokemon Rangers who had perished during an important mission, only one year before, and she had been alone ever since… she had quickly turned from a bright, cheerful girl into a loner and a recluse, spending her time simply caring for her Pokemon or simply lying around in her large, hollow house. Jonathan was hoping that, one year after her tragedy, the prospect of going into a Pokemon journey with him could restore, at least partly, her previous spunk…

"Okay…" she said, seemingly ignoring that last remark. "Hold on a second, I'm coming."

Jonathan nodded and began waiting… and after a while, the door opened, and Abelia walked out, carrying a blue-green backpack on her shoulders.

"Here. I'm ready to go, Jonathan." She said, walking out of her house. Abelia was about the same age as her friend, with long, silver-white hair tied in a pair of long pigtails at the sides of her head, with similarly-colored eyes and a cute face that seemed to be perpetually etched in a serious frown. Two black ribbons held her pigtails in place, and she was wearing a spotless, sleeveless white sundress that reached all the way above her knees, along with a small necklace dangling from her neck. For some reason, the girl was barefoot, and did not even stop to put on a pair of shoes or sandals as she walked out to greet Jonathan.

"Well? What are you standing here for? Weren't we going to go?" she asked, never losing that pouty, somewhat angry expression of hers.

Jonathan seemed a little dubious. "Er… well, yes, of course, Abelia… but are you sure you're going out like that?" he asked, looking at her sundress, then at her bare feet. "You aren't going to put on a pair of shoes, at least?"

Abelia sighed, as if they had gone through that topic a thousand times already. "Jonathan… you should know by now how much I hate shoes… and footwear in general!" she said simply. "I just don't feel at ease unless I am walking barefoot, and that was the case ever since we were kids."

Jonathan wrinkled his nose, but conceded the point – ever since they had met, a few years ago, he never remembered a single time where his best friend had ever worn anything at all on her feet. It did seem a little strange of him… but then again, Abelia was always a bit on the strange side, so he decided that, in the end, it wasn't such an important matter. "Alright, then, if you prefer it that way, I'm not going to argue." He stated. "Alright, Abelia… your Pokemon are with you, right?"

"Well, duh." She answered snarkily, showing Jonathan a pair of Pokeballs. "Yes, my Venipede and my Venonat are both here. We can go whenever you want."

"Fine, then…" Jonathan answered, gently placing an hand on his friend's shoulder. "This is where we start our Pokemon journey… and I'm sure you will enjoy this as much as I will! Let's… try to make the most out of it, okay? And know this… your Mom and your Dad would be glad that you're making your own way, just like mine are."

Abelia nodded without a word, as she put her Pokeballs back in place. Her silverish eyes turned one last time at her old house, feeling a pang of sadness at the thought that she was going to actually leave behind herself the place that held so many memories for her. It made her feel somewhat afraid… but she was not going to back down, not now. She owed that much to Jonathan, at least…

"I just hope you're right, Jonathan…" she said. "I know this means a lot to you… so I hope it goes well."

"It will, Abi… don't worry!" Jonathan smiled, using the nickname he had always used for her ever since they were very little. Slowly, the two aspiring trainers began walking away from the house and, after taking one last glance at the part of their past they were trying to leave behind, they began walking away, into the wilderness…

The journey of the young adventurers had begun…

**oooooooooo**

**Okay, this is it for the introductory chapter! I hope it's interesting enough. The real action will start soon though, as Jonathan and Abelia set out to become famous names in the world of Pokemon. Will they be able to forge their own path to greatness?**

**We'll see about that! For the moment, I thank EmperorDraco7 for allowing me to write this sidestory to his Pokemon epic… and I hope to return soon with a new chapter!**

**Send me a review, if you want! They're always welcome! **


	2. Start of the Journey

**Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**It was about time I came back with a new chapter for my sidestory to Rise of Heroes, wasn't it? (And, by the way, I'd really advise you to take a look at Rise of Heroes from my good friend EmperorDraco7, it's got just what I always wanted to see from a Pokemon story!). Last chapter, we made our acquaintance with Jonathan and Abelia, the young beginning trainers who have just left their homes to try and make their names known in the world of Pokemon. They both at least look like they've got the potential for greatness, so… let's watch them and see what happens, right?**

**In this chapter, I'll try to give some explanations in order to make sure the reader know what kind of place Oblivia is – though readers who have played Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs should be able to remember quite a few things. And after that, our bold pre-teens will reach their first destination! What awaits for them in this journey? You'll just have to keep reading and find out! Okay, maybe the first few chapter might be a little dull… but don't worry, we'll get to the good parts soon enough!**

**Thanks to all those who read the first chapter! I'll see you soon!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 1 – Start of the Journey **

The day was clear, and the breezy air of the sea accompanied a couple ofaspiring Pokemon trainers as they made their way out of the deep Mediterranean forest and onto a rocky, dusty road that snaked its way around a tall mountain, allowing for an impressive view of the island below. Things seemed to be proceeding very well for Jonathan and Abelia, as the two children continued on their way towards their next destination.

Jonathan took a look at the map he carried with himself, and then turned to his pigtailed, silver-haired friend. "Well, Abi… we've been walking for awhile now. What do you say we stop somewhere to have something to eat, and then we try to make a resume of what we're trying to do for the day?"

"Okay, works for me." Abelia answered, without seeming all that interested in the scenery around her. Jonathan was taken a little aback at the distant ton of his friend's voice, but decided not to think too much about it, and began lookimg for a place where they could stop, possibly repaired from the blinding light of the sun.

Soon enough, the two children came across what looked like a clearing along the side of the rocky pathway they were walking upon, and Jonathan quickly located a place situated under the shadows of a pair of huge pine trees. With a wink and a small movement of the head, he told Abelia to follow him, and the girl nodded silently and followed him under the shadow, where they both sat down on the grond, right under the pine's branches. With a sigh of relief, Jonathan took his backpack off his shoulder, prompting Abelia to do the same, and rummaged through it until he managed to find a rolled-up map, showing the entirety of the Oblivia continent. It was, in fact, nothing more than a collection of islands seemingly dispersed in the immense blue ocean, crawling with life and with amazing sights…

"Okay, Jonathan." The girl said, in a rather deadpan voice than made her sound like she wasn't interested in the answer. "Let's go through this again. What's the plan for our journey through Oblivia?"

"Well… truth be told, I don't think we'll be staying in Oblivia for too long." Jonathan answered with a sheepish chuckle as he lay his map on his knees in order to let Abelia have a good look at it as well. "Anyway, at the moment, we are here… we're now on Renbow Island, the second largest island in the continent of Oblivia. From here, our first target should be Cocona Village, the largest city on this island… and from there, we'll think of our next move!"

Abelia sighed. Jonathan always seemed to consider things easier than they actually were… "Of course, Jonathan, don't forget that we're supposed to train our Pokemon before we get there." She said, as if they had gone through that lots of times already. "Don't you think we should at least try and predict how long it will take for us to get to Cocona? And the way we're taking isn't exactly the easiest one… we have to go through Rasp Cavern and Teakwood Forest to get there. I think we'll take a few days at least to reach Cocona, don't you think?"

"Er…" Jonathan murmured, somewhat embarassed at the fact that Abelia had pointed out what he should have already worked out himself. "I… I was getting to that, Abi, don't worry! As I was saying… there should be quite a lot of chances for us to meet new Pokemon and train! And… well, I should say we'll take about four or five days to get to Cocona."

"Good enough…" Abelia answered as she took some canned food out of her own backpack and placed in orderly in front of herself. Then, the girl took out her two Pokeballs, as her face seemed to soften a little, even allowing herself a small smile. "Okay, guys… guess you deserve to take a few steps out of your Pokeballs! Come out, Venonat and Venipede!"

"You too… Oshawott, Omanyte, come out!" Jonathan said. The two kids opened up their Pokeballs, and four beams of light erupted from the spheres and landed in front of Jonathan and Abelia, solidifying into four peculiar-looking Pokemon: on Jonathan's side, there were an Oshawott, a cute-looking otter Pokemon with a rounded, spherical white head, with small, triangular dark-blue ears to the sides, and a light blue torso, decorated with a pale yellow seashell feature in the center; and an Omanyte, a strange fossil Pokemon looking like a blue octopus with a spiral-like shell on its back and huge round eyes. They were obviously two Water-type Pokemon, and it was not hard to see which was the young boy's favourite type.

Abelia's Pokemon, on the other hand, were clearly of the Bug type: a Venonat, a small round creature with thin antennae, large compound eyes and covered in shaggy purple fur; and a Venipede, a strange Bug / Poison type Pokemon with a pronounced hump on the upper part of its body. The upper part of its body was mainly magenta, with black circles and markings on its 'shoulders', neck, and antennae, while the lower part of the body was segmented, and colored a slightly bluish green. It also had four pairs of stubby black legs, and its two magenta tails had black banding.

"I have to say, Abi... your Pokemon are looking great!" Jonathan said, after scratching his Oshawott behind one of his ears. The otter-like Pokemon smiled and closed his eyes, enjoying the attention before Jonathan began petting his Omanyte as well. "It's clear that you are taking good care of them..."

The silver-haired girl nodded once. "Well, I try to do my best." She answered, stroking her Venonat's soft fur as she set out to prepare a nice lunch for her two Bug-types. "And I always liked Bug-types... I know it's not the kind of Pokemon most girls would like, but anyway..."

"Hehee... hey, I'm definitely not complaining!" Jonathan answered,. "By the way, I think my Pokemon would like to make friends with yours!"

The young boy looked at his Oshawott, who was extending his hand towards Abelia's Venonat... and the furry Bug / Poison type looked at the otter curiously for one moment before extending one of his stubby arms back to the Water-type and shaking on it. Omanyte, for her part, was slithering on her tentacles and looking at Venipede curiously... and the strange armored Bug-type touched the snail-like shell on Omanyte's back with his antennae, having never seen such a strange Pokemon before.

Abelia was quite intrigued at Omanyte's appearence as well. "Hmm... that's a Pokemon you don't see every day." She commented. "Isn't that one of those prehistoric Pokemon you revive from a fossil?"

"Exactly, Abelia. From an Helix Fossil, to be exact." Jonathan explained, holding his Oshawott in his arms. With a proud smile, Jonathan narrated to Abelia the story behind his Omanyte. "However, this Omanyte has a different story behind... wanna hear about it?"

"Hmm... I don't think you ever told me about it!" Abelia answered, perking up a little from what appeared to be her usual deadpan tone. As she opened up a can of Pokemon food for her Venonat and Venipede, the silver-haired girl turned to her lifelong friend in order to listen to his story. "I think this is as good a chance as any to hear about it!"

Jonathan cleared his voice as he began preparing lunch for Oshawott and Omanyte. As the two beginning trainers' Pokemon began happily munching at their meal, the young boy combed his hair with a gesture of his hand, and began narrating. "Okay... I met Omanyte a couple years ago, as my parents were working on some sort of writings that had been found nearby the Silver Falls, on Sophian Island..." he answered. "I had accompanied them because I was curious to see them working... and one day, I went out myself to explore the place, and I ended up getting lost! I was... well, I wasn't very calm about it, and I began going from one place to the other, searching for a clue to get back to Mom and Dad... and that was when I happened to come across this strange underground pond. I went there to have a sip of water... and I end up with ten tentacles wrapped around my face! Omanyte had probably mistaken me for a predator... or a prey, whatever... and had acted accordingly."

"I see..." Abelia answered, prompting him to go on as she took a quick look at her Venonat and Venipede quickly eating up everything on their trays. "Please, go on."

"Well... there's not much else to say, actually." The young boy answered, adjusting the orange headband around his forehead. "As soon as I was able to get Omanyte off my face, she – yes, I later found out from Mom and Dad that it was a female – began wriggling her tentacles to me, as if she was begging me to stay... and I guess she managed to convince me, because I decided to stay there and keep her company until the rescue teams came and found me! In the end, I managed to convince them to let me keep Omanyte, who had grown fond of me in the two hours or so we had spent together... and even if I got a huge tongue-lashing from Mom and Dad about not wandering off on my own, in the end even they were glad I had found my very own Pokemon!"

"Interesting." Abelia answered. "And so... how was a prehistoric Pokemon still alive in such a place? Did you get to know that?"

"My father told me that Omanytes aren't completely extinct... in fact, there are still a few places around the world where they have managed to survive, hidden from the eyes of the world." Jonathan explained. "His guess was that Omanyte was part of a school of those, and she had ended up in that cave for one reason or another. I guess she had begun to feel lonely, and was trying to latch on the first living creature that was not going to be a danger to her."

"She's lucky to have met you..." Abelia answered, scratching Omanyte between the eyes as the prehistoric Pokemon finished her meal, stuffing chunks of Pokemon food in her small mouth with her short tentacles. The silver-haired girl sobered a little, thinking to herself. "_Just as I was lucky to know you..._"

"Yeah..." Jonathan said, nodding in approval as they watched their Pokemon finish up their meal and begin chatting amongst themselves, as they tried to get toknow each other better. "Well, Abi, I guess we'd better get our fill, too! Aren't you hungry?"

"A little." She answered, looking at another can of food she had taken out of her backpack. "Guess we'd better help ourselves too, if we want to get far today."

"That's my point." Jonathan answered, feeling some sort of excited shiver as he opened up some canned meat. He still had trouble believing it... he and his friend were there, on a lonely trail, heading towards what could be their greatest chance to become world-famous trainers! It was all so amazing that he almost feared this was all a dream, from which he would soon wake up...

But no, the hot rays of the sun, the high-pitched chattering of the Pokemon, and the fact that his best friend was sitting near him, and eating together with him, reassured Jonathan that this was the real deal.

Jonathan shook his head and mentally scolded himself for letting his mind wander. Abelia was right when she had said that they needed to plan more thoroughly for this journey, so he quickly did a few calculations and tried to come up with a more immediate plan. "Okay, Abi… I can predict that we're going to reach Rasp Cavern in about a couple days. Which means, we will have to stop on this trail for tonight. After lunch, we'll take about one hour's worth of rest, and then we'll try to cover as much road as possible before the night falls. As soon as we can see that we are unable to advance any more, we'll set up camp for the night. Could that be a deal?"

"I have nothing against it…" Abelia said quietly, after taking a bite of her meal. Jonathan smiled and nodded, and before his attention went to his own Pokemon and to his meal once again, he reassured his best friend one last time.

"That's great! You'll see, as soon as we can get our Pokemon teams up to speed, our journey will be a roaring success! I can just feel it!" he concluded.

Their Pokemon appear to be in high spirits as well, as they were getting to know each other. Jonathan's Oshawott, in particular, was eager to know more about Venonat, and was pretty much bombarding him with questions, while Venipede and Omanyte were quietly chatting between each other.  
>"<em>So… as your trainer said, you used to live in a far away place where some of your kind still survive.<em>" Venipede was saying to the prehistoric Pokemon. "_Must have been rather lonely to live there…_"

"_It wasn't bad when I was with my comrades…_" Omanyte answered, shrugging her tentacles. "_But when I was separated from them and I had to live in the pond where Jonathan found me… well, I was very glad when he decided to have me as his first Pokemon. Sure, he later got Oshawott there, who was his starter technically… but I was the Pokemon he started out with._"

Omanyte pointed at the chatty Oshawott, and at Venonat who was listening intently, and Venipede nodded in understanding, making it a point to get to know the otter-like Pokemon as well, as soon as he was able to.

"_And that there was that time where we went to Dolce Island all together!_" Oshawott said, as he continued chatting with the furry Bug / Poison type. "_It really is a paradise like people say! You should take a look at the beaches, too!_"

Venonat thought about it for a moment. "_Well, now that you mention it, I do remember that Dolce Island doesn't have human settlements... It must be a pretty peaceful place, and I wish I could get to see it, someday!_"

"_You haven't seen much of the outside world, did you?_" Oshawott asked in curiosity, and Venonat shook his head no as he answered.

"_I met Abelia and became her Pokemon... just a few weeks before she lost her parents in a mission._" Venonat explained with a sad sigh. "_You see, her parents were Pokemon Rangers... and one day, when Abelia was around eight years old, they were involved in a mission against an infamous and secretive group called Pokemon Pinchers. I don't know exactly what happened... but they never came back, and since then, Abelia has never left her home._"

"_Oh... I see,that's really bad..._" Oshawott answered, his vivacious demeanor taking a plunge at the news. "_So... for the past year, I guess you've never been away, right?_"

Venonat nodded. "_Exactly... She may not show it, but Abelia is very happy that Jonathan offered her to travel with him in his Pokemon journey. If he hadn't, she'd still be enclosing herself in her house..._"

Oshawott nodded, and looked at Jonathan and Abeli, who were still looking at a map of Oblivia, sitting under the shade of a large pine tree as they ate their lunch. He could only hope that this journey, other than allow them to become the strong trainers they wanted to be, would also allow the girl to leave her past behind...

**oooooooooo**

Some time later, after the young trainers had resumed their journey...

"So, Jonathan... are we there yet?" Abelia asked wth an hint of impatience as the two young trainers, under the light of the setting sun, abandoned the rocky trail and began walking beside a small river that slowly flowed down the rocky hill and towards the sea. The view had become a lot more varied now that Jonathan and Abelia had reached the outskirts of the tropical forest, and the young boy actually had to fan himself with his shirt because of the humidity.

In front of Abelia's rather stingy behaviour, Jonathan kept perfectly nice as he answered her question. "Well... you can say that, yes!" he answered, taking a look around. The river that was quietly flowing at his left side was keeping his attention, as he was thinking about all the Water-type Pokemon he could catch there! "This is the place where we can start training our Pokemon, an maybe catch some new ones as well! Not to mention, the banks of this river are the ideal place to stop and rest for the night."

The girl, who was probably somewhat tired after the long walk, heaved a small sigh. "Okay, Jonathan, if you say so..." she answered. "Where do you propose we can start searching for new Pokemon?"

Jonathan stopped for a moment to think about it. "Hmm... that's quite a good question, now that I think about it." He answered with a nod. "Okay, Abi, let's see... we'll look for a place where we'll set up camp, and then we'll split up for a while and go train our Pokemon! I'm sure we'll find something interesting, either in the forest or along the river banks!"

Abelia nodded after a short while, and the two kids began walking along the river, looking for a place where they could stop. Luckily, their search didn't last very long, and soon they found a clearing covered with emerald green grass, just a little removed from the river itself, and walked into it to make sure it was safe enough.

"Well, this doesn't look like a bad place to stop..." Abelia said, stretching the kinks out of her back as she stopped in the center of it. She and Jonathan gave the place a quick examination, in order to make sure, and inally decided that, in fact, it was the right place to stop and sleep for the night. "Okay, Jonathan... and now that we're here, we can start looking around for new Pokemon. Personally, I'd like to search inside the forest... I'm sure there are quite a few interesting Bug-types around!"

"Yeah, I was sure you'd say that!" Jonathan happily commented, happy to see that Abelia's voice had taken a bit of a perk as she spoke. "Okay, then... In that case, I'll take a walk on the bank of the river, and see if I can catch something interesting! This river looks like it has some pretty nice Pokemon in it, and a Goldeen or a Poliwag would be ideal for me!"

"Okay then... see you here for dinner, then?" Abelia asked with a nod.

Jonathan smiled at her and winked. "In about two hours! Okay, Abi, good luck, and happy catching! This is our first step on the road to become master trainers!" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Abelia nodded, looking somewhat more subdued about it, and after bidding good luck to each other, the budding Pokemon trainers took their separate ways, with the promise to meet back in that same clearing after a couple of hours for dinner and rest.

"See you later, Abelia!"

"Later..."

**oooooooooo**

"Okay, let's take a look around!" Jonathan said to himself, his Oshawott and Omanyte already out of their Pokeballs. Both Pokemon were half-submerged in the shallow waters of the river, and seemed to be eager to help their trainer get his first capture... "Oshawott, Omanyte... stand ready, in this place, one could meet a new Pokemon at any given moment!"

"_Right! Don't worry, Jonathan, nothing will escape me!_" Oshawott exclaimed cheerily, wading into the somewhat deeper waters in search for some hint of a Pokemon hiding in the mud. As he did so, he felt the muddy riverbed sliding underfoot... and all of a sudden, it moved up, almost slamming the otter Pokemon in the face and ausing him to fall backwards with an alarmed yelp! "_Whoa! What's that about...?_"

"_Oshawott!_" Omanyte exclaimed, as both she and Jonathan turned around to see what was going on... just in time to see Oshawott jump backwards on the bank of the river, while a blue, round, tad-pole like Pokemon with a black spiral on its white belly, a paddle-shaped tail, and cute round eyes rose up in defiance.

"What... Hey, that's a Poliwag!" Jonathan exclaimed as he took out his Pokedex to get some more informations about the Pokemon he and his friends were about to face. "Be careful, Oshawott! Don't underestimate him!"

"_Quick, Jonathan!_" Omanyte exclaimed as Oshawott and Poliwag began circling around each other, looking for the right moment to attack. The Pokedex was quick to answer, giving out the fats on the new Pokemon.

"_Poliwag, the Tadpole Pokemon._" The hi-tech encyclopedia droned. "_Its newly grown legs prevent it from walking well. It appears to prefer swimming over walking. Poliwag has a very thin skin. It is possible to see the Pokémon's spiral innards right through the skin. Despite its thinness, however, the skin is also very flexible. Even sharp fangs bounce right off it._"

"Even sharp fangs, huh? We'll see about that!" Jonathan stated confidently. "Let's go for it, Oshawott! Use Tail Whip against that guy!"

"_Right away, Jonathan!_" the otter Pokemon exclaimed, using his little tail to swat away at the tadpole-like Pokemon. However, Poliwag was faster than both trainer and Pokemon had anticipated, and he quickly got in Oshawott's face, blowing a barrage of bubbles from his small mouth! Oshawott grunted in annoyance as several bubbles exploded upon his face, forcing him backwards… but his Tail Whip attack hit, weakening Poliwag's ability to take hits and leaving him more vulnerable.

"Nicely done, Oshawott!" Jonathan cheered. "Now, attack him with Tackle!"

The otter-like Pokemon launched himself at the tadpole with all of his strength, hitting him with all the weight of his graceful body. With a chirping sound, Poliwag fell back in he river, and while he managed to stand up again soon enough, the attack had clearly damaged him. However, Poliwag was not done yet.

With an incredibly nimble stride of his short legs, he dashed at Oshawott once again… and then began using a Doubleslap attack, turning around and hitting the otter Pokemon in theface with his paddle-like tail! Oshawott reeled a bit from the successful attack, and Poliwag took advantage of the distraction to hit with another tail slap. This time, Oshawott fell on the muddy bank of the river, but quickly picked himself up, much to the relief of both Jonathan and Omanyte.

"Good, you're still in the game!" Jonathan cheered, deciding it was time to end it. "Now, Oshawott, try to dodge the next attack and strike back with Water Gun!"

Oshawott nodded and narrowed his eyes as Poliwag charged at him with another Doubleslap attack… but this time, the Water-type otter was ready, and managed to duck under the first blow, before taking aim and shooting a powerful stream of water from his mouth, hitting Poliwag in the back as it was about to turn and tail slap him again. The force of the Water Gun sent Poliwag on the muddy ground, and this time, it seemed to have more trouble picking himself back up!

"_I think we got him, Jonathan!_" Oshawott exclaimed in his shrill Pokemon language. Knowing that the Water-type was right, Jonathan produced a Pokeball from his jacket and tossed it at the barely conscious Poliwag, hitting him and turning him in a flash of red light that was quickly absorbed by the ball. The Pokeball shut itself soon after and began oscillating once… twice… the third time, a clicking sound was heard as Poliwag ceased struggling, and accepted to become the young trainer's first capture!

Almost laughing in joy, Jonathan ran to the Pokeball and picked it up, holding it in front of himself to admite it! "Yeah! I… I did it! Idid it, guys! This is the very first Pokemon I have captured myself! I can't believe it… it's just too good to be true! Thank you, Oshawott! You did an excellent job!"

Oshawott gave his trainer a thumbs-up and smiled. "_No problem at all!_" he exclaimed, before turning to Omanyte, who was equally happy with how things had turned out. "_See that, Omanyte? Not bad at all, I should say!_"

"_Way to go, my friend!_" the prehistoric Pokemon exclaimed, using one of her tentacles to high-five Oshawott. Jonathan smiled at his Pokemon's antics and turned to his newly-caught Poliwag, now safely inside his Pokeball, once again.

"Don't worry, little one… you can bet I'm going to take good care of you… and one day, you and your teammates will be known all around the world!" he said quietly. Then, he looked back at the forest, hoping that Abelia was having the same luck as he was…

**oooooooooo**

In fact, Abelia had been lucky enough to stumble upon what she was looking for: as she, Venonat and Venipede quietly made their way through some brushes, they had stumbled upon a lone female Weedle, a strange caterpillar Pokemon, a dull yellow colour all over, with several pairs of short paws, and a cruel-looking stinger on top of her head, who seemed to have separated herself from the rest of the hive... and as a result, she seemed to be particularly jumpy! At first, Abelia had tried to approach the caterpillar-like Pokemon with a calm demeanor, trying not to make her angry... and the Weedle's response had been an eloquent Poison Sting, directed at Venonat's right hand!

The furry bug Pokemon yelped in surprise as a small glowing needle shot out of Weedle's head and hit him, causing him some slight pain... but, in the end, proving almost useless against another Poison-type Pokemon. Weedle, however, seemed to be undaunted, and narrowed her small, beady red eyes in oder to make her face, complete with a goofy red nose, actually look intimidating. Shaking his head, Venonat got in a fighting stance as Abelia consulted her Pokedex.

"_Weedle, the Hairy Bug Pokemon. __Often found in forests, eating leaves. It has a sharp, venomous stinger on its head.__Weedle has an extremely acute sense of smell. It is capable of distinguishing its favorite kinds of leaves from those it dislikes just by sniffing with its big red proboscis nose._"

"_That's the kind of Pokemon you were lookig for, right, Abelia?_" Venipede asked rhetorically as the silver-haired girl closed her Pokdex and put it away in her backpack. Nodding, Abelia decided to concentrate on the fight, and decided to give Venonat the advantage of the next hit.

"Right, then. Venonat, soften Weedle up with Supersonic!" she ordered. With what looked like a smile on his insectile mouth, Venonat moved his antennae and his compound eyes lit up for a moment, showing that Venonat was using his racial ability, Compoundeyes, to raise the accuracy of the otherwise unrealiable Supersonic. A discharge of sonic waves came fom Venonat's antennae and hit Weedle, whose aggressive expression soon turned into one of bewilderment and doubt. Her confusion turnig into annoyance, Weedle tried to fire another Poison Sting at Venonat, only for her to misfire and fall on the ground in a rather ridiculous manner!

"Very good, now is the time to use Tackle." Abelia said. Venonat quickly rushed at Weedle to hit her with a shoulder slam, but the caterpillar Pokemon snapped out of confusion too soon for the girl's liking and managed to guard the hit somewhat, only taking a little damage. Then, before Venonat could try again, Weedle used her String Shot atack to hit Venonat with a coating of light, yet sticky treads of a strange silken substance, which quickly adhered to the furry bug's body and slowed him down considerably! Then, Weedle dashed in and bit Venonat's leg with a Bug Bite attack, catching both Venonat and Abelia completely off guard!

"Ouch… she can use Bug Bite? That's a stronger Weedle than I anticipated… well, no matter, we can still win! Venonat, attack with Confusion!"

"_Right away!_" Venonat answered, concentrating for a short while, and sending a short impulse of psychic energy right at the caterpillar-like Pokemon. This time, there was no way Weedle could guard against the attack, and she was struck head-on, being lifted off the ground and then telecinetically slammed against the ground! She screeched in anger and pain,before remaining there, stunned… and Abelia and Venonat nodded at each other before the girl produced a Pokeball and threw it at the stunnedWeedle. The Hairy Bug Pokemon was touched and absorbed inside… and soon, the Pokeball stopped moving and gave a clinking sound to warn of the successful capture!

A rare smile crossed Abelia's cute face, and the silver-haired girl, after helping Venonat out of the sticky coating hampering his movements, hugged both him and her Venipede before going to fetch her new Pokemon.

"Thank you, Venonat… you did a great job!" she said softly. "And… welcome to the team, Weedle! Don't worry, I will take good care of you… and you'll soon grow into a beautiful Beedrill, I will make sure of that!"

Abelia rested her forehead on Weedle's Pokeball in an affectionate gesture… then, a few moments later, she put it in her backpack and turned to Venonat and Venipede once again. The quest had started out well enough… now, it was onl a matter of keeping at it and training their Pokemon right…

**oooooooooo**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. The Mystery of Rasp Cavern

**Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**Welcome back to my story!**

**I've seen that, for just two chapters, the responses are quite positive already! I'm glad to see that my side story is doing so well, since it's a story I'm putting a lot of myself into, and it means a lot to me to see it's appreciated!**

**Anyway, let's make a resume: in the second chapter, we have been fully introduced to our two protagonists: Jonathan, an adventurous and cheerful young boy from a family of historians, with a liking for Water-type Pokemon, and his best friend Abelia, an introverted girl with a painful past and a strangepreference for Bug-type Pokemon! I've tried to put as much effort as possible in these two original characters, and I hope they meet the favour of the readers! Hehehee…**

**Anyway, as we've seen, our two young heroes have captured their first Pokemon… respectively, a Poliwag for Jonathan and a Weedle for Abelia. Hopefully, this will be their first real step towards becoming master trainers and hold up the honour of the land of Oblivia! For now, their next stop is Rasp Cavern, from which they will be able to descend in the mysterious Teakwood Forest, and finally reach Cocona Village, one of the biggest human settlements in the Oblivia continent (which, I should remind you, is still mostly untouched by the hand of humans). **

**What surprised are waiting for Jonathan and Abelia inthe depths of the earth? That's what we'll soon see in this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 2 – The Mystery of Rasp Cavern**

"Aaaah! It sure feels nice to be able to relax, after such a long day!" Jonathan commented with a relieved sigh as he sat down in front of the campfire he had set up. "Boy, I have to say, our first day as Pokemon trainers was great, but it was very tiring as well!"

Abelia, who was busy preparing some food for their Pokemn on the other side of the crackling bonfire, nodded without even turning in her friend's direction. "Yeah… we managed to get some good new Pokemon, anyway." She answered. "I caught a Weedle that happened to know Bug Bite."

"Well, that's great news, Abi!" the boy answered as he watched the silver-haired girl carefully lay food in the trays she had placed on the mossy earth. "Oshawott managed to defeat a Poliwag today, and I was able to catch him and add him to my team! I must say, we're coming along nice, aren't we?"

"I guess so…" Abelia said, not sounding so enthusiastic about it. Jonathan, caught a little off guard by his best friend's tone, found himself at a loss for words for a while, and reminisced about what to do for a few seconds, before coming up with an idea.

"Say, Abelia…" he said, raising his head. "Why don't we try to let our new Pokemon out for a while? It would be good to let them know each other, at least… don't you think so?"

The silver-haired girl looked impassively at Jonathan, as if pondering his words… then, deciding that there was no harm in that, she decided that she might as well do that, and picked the Pokeball she had caught Weedle with from her backpack. "Okay then… Weedle, come out! There are a few people I'd like you to meet…"

The girl opened her Pokeball, and out of it came the small, worm-like Pokemon, still a little dazed from the battle she had sustained against Abelia's Venonat. After looking around herself for a while, Weedle cast her glance to Jonathan, who simply waved at her with a small smile.

"Hi…" he ventured, trying not to look intimidating to the Hairy Bug Pokemon. It didn't seem to take, though, as Weedle immediately curled her segmented body into a ball of sorts, and pointed her stinger at Jonathan, threatening to sting him with it had he tried anything funny! "Woah! Hey, slow down, Weedle, I'm not gonna try and eat you…"

"Even when I caught her, she seemed more aggressive than you average Weedle…" Abelia commented with a shrug. The pigtailed girl sat up and went to her newly-caught Weedle, before crouching down and gently stroking her back with her index finger. "Don't be afraid, Weedle… Jonathan is not going to harm you, I can assure you! He's my best friend,and he loves Pokemon very much… relax… nobody is going to hurt you here… I told you I would take good care of you, and I will…"

Jonathan watched intently as Abelia gently picked up Weedle, who seemed to have calmed down somewhat, and gently held her in her arms, like she would do with an affectionate puppy. She was still keeping her neutral expression, but there was something more to it now… something Jonathan couldn't put in words very well, and that was now seeping through her usual aloof facade.

Now feeling more relaxed, Weedle disentangled herself from the ball she had curled herself into, and apologized to Jonathan with a bow of the head. The young boy smiled slightly and bowed his head as well, before sending out his three Pokemon to greet the newcomer in Abelia's team. "Okay then… I guess I should introduce you to my own Pokemon as well! Omanyte, Oshawott, Poliwag… say hello to Weedle, okay?"

In a flash, the otter Pokemon, the fossil Pokemon and the newly-caught tadpole Pokemon all popped out of Jonathan's Pokeballs, and positioned themselves in a straight line in front of Weedle and Abelia, the latter of which was quick to open up her other two Pokeballs and let her other two Bug-types get out. Venonat and Venipede emitted their own high-pitched calls and turned to Poliwag, who regarded them with curiosity, sweeping the ground behind him with his paddle-like tail as though he was expecting an attack soon.

Instead, Venipede scuttled forward a little and smiled gently at the confused tadpole-like Pokemon, greeting him properly. "_We are glad to meet you…_" the strange pillbug-like Pokemon said in a buzzing voice, which to a foreign ear sounded like the Pokemon repeating his name. "_We are Abelia's Pokemon, and we will be working together with you to overcome the obstacles in our way, become the most skilled, and allow our trainers to become the best there is! I'm glad to have you along!_"

"_Likewise!_" Venonat hastily added.

Poliwag looked a little awkward still, and took a good look at the two Bug / Poison types in front of him, and the one currently in Abelia's arms. While Weedle seemed to be still busy getting the hang of his new home, Venonat and Venipede seemed to be quite happy to welcome him, and even Oshawott and Omanyte, despite having been his opponents just a couple hours ago, were courteous and jovial to him. After a few moments of silence, Poliwag stepped forward and raised his paddle-like tail in what was clearly meant to be a form of salute! "_I'm glad to make friends with you as well! I'm sure we will get along… swimmingly!_"

Jonathan could help but laugh out loud at the joke, which Oshawott, Venipede and Omanyte soon followed suit, while Abelia simply wrinkled her nose and shook her head. After all, she had never been one for jokes and plays on words…

"_That's great! Let's all get along and do our best, then!_" Oshawott giddily announced, clapping Poliwag on what was supposed to be the tadpole Pokemon's shoulder. "_I can't wait for the day when I'll be a splendid Samurott and stand proudly along with Jonathan on a pedestal!_"

"_You'll have to beat me to it, though…_" Venonat answered, his mandibles curling into a slight grin. "_Because, you see, I plan on becoming a majestic Venomoth real soon and make sure Abelia gets first place in the first tournament we get into!_"

"_Interesting… we seem to already have some competition here!_" Omanyte stated. "_That's good, it will only make things more interesting! I will do my best as well, and I'm definitely not going to lose that easily!_"

Jonathan blinked, then chuckled sheepishly at the Pokemon's banter, finding the whole thing quite amusing. "Hehehee… well, Abi, it seems that our Pokemon are already in the mood!" he stated, knowing he was stating the obvious. "I'm sure it will be fun to train them all, don't you agree?"

The silver haired girl stroked Weedle on her back with her dainty fingers, before letting the Hairy Bug Pokemon down in order for her to join the rest of the team. Privately, she agreed with Jonathan, and truth be told, she was getting curious to see how their teams would fare against each other… but that was a question for another time, as Jonathan went back to preparing dinner, and Abelia decided she might as well lend him a hand…

**oooooooooo**

Dinner had been a simple enough affair for both trainers and Pokemon – just some travelling rations that were still quite good eating and quite nutritious. After that, the two children and their Pokemon had stayed around the campfire for a while, enjoying the warmth and the light that came from it, and finally, after the fire had died down completely, they had set up a couple bedrolls for the night. Now, both of them were slipping inside their respective sleeping bags, trying to get as comfy as possible before drifting off to sleep. Jonathan and Abelia had even allowed their Pokemon to remain out of their Pokeballs and slip under the covers with them, and they were bidding each other goodnight for now.

"Well… it wasn't so bad, for a first day." Abelia commented somewhat off-handedly, gently stroking her Venonat's fur and she lay on her side, turning towards Jonathan who had set his bedroll right beside hers. "We both got our first captures, and we've gotten quite far. It seems being a Pokemon trainer will not be a bad thing, after all."

Jonathan chuckled. Even then, Abelia never lost her aloof attitude, but the young boy know her better than any other person, and he knew when the silver-haired girl meant what she was saying. "Hehehee… well, I'm glad you think so, Abi! And don't forget that we also started training and building up our own Pokemon… we've got a long way to go before we can take on the real champion of the Pokemon world, bu we do have to start somewhere, right?"

"Hm-hm." Abelia said, closing her eyes as she tried to relax.

Jonathan stifled a yawn and decided that they probably had had enough of action and excitement for the day. Time to call it a night… "Well, Abi… I dunno about you, but I'm beat for today!" he said cheerfully. "Maybe we should get some sleep, as tomorrow we're facing another day of travel and training. I hope we can get at the Rasp Cavern, before the end of the day."

"Okay… good night, Jonathan…" Abelia answered softly, her Bug-types already asleep beside her.

"Good night, Abelia…"

With that, the young boy closed his eyes, drifting off in the land of dreams as his Oshawott, Omanyte and Poliwag were already sleeping soundly nearby. Abelia checke her Bug-types, in order to make sure they were doing alright… then, with an heavy sigh, she lay on her back and stared at the beautiful, star-filled sky hovering above her, visible among the leaves and the branches of the trees.

"So…" she murmured to herself. "I'm a Pokemon trainer now… though I'm still at a loss on what I should do… I hope it all goes well…"

With that, Abelia closed her eyes and relaxed, murmuring one last thing as the quiet sound of the wind lulled her to sleep.

"Mommy… Daddy… I'll try to do my best… please watch over me…"

**oooooooooo**

Morning had come soon enough, and the two young upstart trainers had managed to wake up at the sight of the first rays of he morning sun, stretching the kinks out of themselves before slipping out of their sleeping bags and getting ready for another long day of travel and training.

"Ooookay… good morning, Abelia! Hope you slept well!" Jonathan exclaimed, rubbing he sleep off his face. As he was about to glance at his best friends, he was caught off guard by a weak Water Gun atack that sprayed him in the face all of a sudden, courtesy of Omanyte! "Waaaah! Glbglbglb… Woah! O-Omanyte! What did you do that for?" he yelled in surprise, wiping the freezing water than now dripped from his face!

The fossil Pokemon seemed to chuckle to herself. "_It was to wake you up for real, Jonathan! You should thank me for that!_" she quipped, waving one of her tentacles. Jonathan sighed as he dried his face, and took his Pokeballs in order to recall his own Pokemon inside.

"Okay, Omanyte… thanks for waking me up, but now I think you should all get inside your Pokeballs…" he stated. Omanyte did a crispy salute with one of her tentacles before she was recalled inside her Pokeball, and both Oshawott and Poliwag placed themselves in front oftheir trainer in order for him to easily recall them.

"_Eeeh… never mind Omanyte, that's her way of showing that she cares!_" Oshawott stated, to which Jonathan nodded and smiled gently.

For her part, Abelia was climbing to her feet as well, checking her Bug-type Pokemon to see whether everyone was alright. She sighed at the antics of Jonathan's Water-types before scratching Venonat between his antennae and greeting them for the day. "Hmmm… good day, everyone! You all slept well? You too, Weedle?"

"_I did… thank you very much for letting us stay out!_" Weedle thanked her. Never changing her expression, Abelia shrugged in a 'think nothing of it' gesture before climbing out of her sleeping bag and beginning getting her things ready.

"Good morning, Jonathan. Slept well?" Abelia asked her friend, who turned to her and smiled, waving at her.

"Mornin', Abi! Slept beautifully!" the young boy answered, winking at the silver-haired girl, who was now busy trying to tie her hair back in her trademark pigtails. "So.. are you ready? We'll be walking a fair deal today… we have to reach Rasp Cavern before sunset!"

"I'm ready for that." Abelia answered simply as she recalled her Pokemon inside her Pokeballs. She carefully placed each Pokeball inside her backpack and closed it, getting ready for the next part of what was obviously going to be a long journey. "So, Jonathan… can we get going? If we're going to get to Rasp Cavern in time, we need to get moving now, right?"

"Well… yes, I'd say so, Abelia!" the Water-type trainer answered. "Okay, just wait until I pick up my bedroll and all the est, and then we're all set!"

Abelia nodded, feeling somehat more confident about the whole thing. Jonathan, despite not even trying to, had a way of making her feel secure and more at ease, and the silver-haired girl was glad she could count on him in such an important moment of her life. For a moment, she closed her eyes and thought back of all the days they had spent together playing and wandering around her house, before her parents died… those days, now, seemed such a distant memory to her…

In a few minutes, the silver-hair girl had packed up her things, and was ready to depart, placing her backpack on her shoulders an shifting a little so that it felt more comfortable. "Alright, Jonathan… I'm ready now! We can depart whenever you want."

"Cool! Let's go, Abelia! We have to reach Rasp Cavern before the end of the day!" Jonathan answered joyfully, giving the young girl a thumbs-up as they resumed their journey. The two children soon reached the river and once again followed the trail that ran parallel to it, advancing deeper and deeper in the mysterious forest..

**oooooooooo**

"Well, there we are! We got to Rasp Cavern earlier than I imagined!"

The afternoon of that day had just begun when Jonathan and Abelia found themselves in front of the entrance of a very large cavern dug in the side of a huge rocky cliff that stood several feet above the children. It was quite dark inside, and both of them could see that the inner walls were covered with moss and strange weeds, and there was an air of mystery and discovery about the whole place. Or, at least, that's what the adventurous Jonathan would have described the situation they were in.

"That's just fantastic!" the young boy exclaimed, giddily anticipating the moment when he and his best friend would emerge in Teakwood Forest, on the other side on the cavern. "After stopping for lunch and to train our Pokemon, we've gotten here with plenty of time to spare! We can take our time making our journey through these caverns, and we should be able to get to Teakwood Forest early tomorrow morning! Isn't this great, Abi? Things are going even better than I anticipated!"

Abelia, as always, was not as outwardly enthusiastic about it as her friend, but she had to admit that getting through that cavern earlier than Jonathan had predicted was a great thing. And who knew, maybe that could mean that they would have more time to look for new Pokemon and train the ones they already had. She hoped not too meet too many Rock-types in any event, as she knew better than anybody else how dangerous they could be to her rather frail Bug-types…

"Okay, Jonathan… let's do this as well." She answered quietly, stepping on the dusty rock terrain and reaching the entrance of the cavern. A whiff of stale air reached her nostrils, causing her to flinch slightly, but she quickly regained her bearing and mentally prepared herself for the journey through the underground tunnels. She and Jonathan took their first steps through the damp tunnels, keeping their eyes peeled for any possible danger…

Soon, the paved road they were walking on began falling apart as they went deeper and deeper inside the bowels of the mountain, becoming uneven and filled with cracks and peebles instead, while the walls of the cavern began widening and giving them access to what looked like enormous, spectacular underground vaults shaped in impressive forms by millennia of erosion. Between the rocky formations that rose from the cavern's floor, the cruel-looking stalatictes, and the huge patches of moss and strange plants creating strange mosaic-like patterns on the wall, both children had to admit that it was a very surprising experience.

Soon, the paved road ended, and in its place came an uneven, slippery road littered with cracked rocks, sloping down to a lower level of the cave, with several bright lights shining in the distance like faraway torches. After taking a look at the road, and understanding that simply walking upon that reclined slope would have been too dangerous, as they could easily lose their balance and hurt themselves, Jonathan and Abelia decided to crouch low on the ground and climb their way down the slope, taking care to move carefully in order not to cause a landslide. Jonathan was first up, taking a good breath and then crawling on his hands and feet down the slope. "Man, this place sure is challenging… be careful, Abelia, you don't wanna take a fall off this."

"Don't worry, Jonathan. I will be careful." Abelia answered. She crouched low and began climbing down as well, using her toes to get a better grip on the rocks. "By the way, what about those strange spots of light in the distance? They don't look natural at all to me…"

"I dunno about that, Abi…" Jonathan answered, taking a suspicious look at the lights, which were in fact moving according to strange patterns, and the boy could not recognize anything he had read on his books about them. "It sounds a little strange to me that someone might have come down here in Rasp Cavern. After all, this place doesn't hold anything of interest, or at least, that's what I always thought."

The boy touched the ground on the lower level of the cave and waited for Abelia as she finished her climb as well. As the silver-haired girl dusted her sundress, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dimming light of the underground tunnel, she cast at her best friend a questioning look. "Well… what are you going to do about it, Jonathan?"

Jonathan's answer was just what Abelia expected to hear from him. "Well, there isn't much helping it, now is there?" he asked rhetorically. "We go check it out. Maybe it's something important, and we would miss out on something very interesting if we just pretended we didn't see it."

"Actually, I don't know if that's such a good idea…" Abelia tried to answer… before a chorus of angry screeches covered their conversation, and Jonathan grit his teeth as he covered his ears with his hands! Alarmed, both children looked up, just as the flapping of a thousand membranous wings filled the damp atmosphere of the cavern… and they could make out a whole flock of Zubats hanging in the air right above them! A few of the bat-like Pokemon, emitting a chorus of ear-piercing screeches, swept down and tried to attack Jonathan and Abelia, who quickly jumped back in alarm and called out some of their Pokemon.

"Ugh… we're under attack!" the boy exclaimed, tossing a Pokeball and watching as his Omanyte materialized on the rocky floor. "Omanyte, we need your help, now!"

Abelia frowned. "Okay... I think this is as good a time as any to start training you… come out, Weedle!" she said, allowing her newly-caught Hairy Bug Pokemon to exit her Pokeball. The Zubats, recognizing two new targets immediately, promptly seemed to forget about the two young upstart trainers and attacked Omanyte and Weedle, who quickly brought their guard up and tried to fight back!

"Weedle, use String Shot and keep them from flying!" Abelia exclaimed. The Bug / Poison type nodded and shot a string of sticky webbing at the closest Zubat, hitting it and causing its wings to become entangled… and with an annoyed screech, the bat-like Pokemon immediately retreated and tried to free itself from the sticky substance.

"Great job, Abi!" Jonathan exclaimed. "But we aren't going to put up any less of an effort! C'mon, Omanyte, try to resist that Zubat's attack!"

One of the Zubats, in fact, was trying to swoop down on his Omanyte, believing her to be an easy prey just for the fact that she wasn't in the water at the time. In fact, it was clear that the Water / Rock type was not going to be as agile out of her natural element, and the Zubat managed to nail her with its trademark Leech Life attack, lightly biting on one of her tentacles and draining some of her blood. Omanyte squeaked in pain as she retreated, but she was not going to be defeated so easily, and managed to stand her ground as Jonathan gave her a new order. "Okay, Omanyte… time to strike back! Use Rollout to take those guys down!"

"_Now that's what I like to hear!_" the vivacious prehistoric Pokemon answered in her language. With a speed few would have thought possible from such a creature, Omanyte retreated into her spiral-shaped shell and began rolling forward and backwards in an unpredictable pattern… before finally gaining enough momentum to throw herself at the attacking Zubats! Several of the bat-like Pokemon screeched as they were bowled over like they were nothing, and the flock was quickly scattered here and there, easy prey for Abelia's Weedle!

"_I got you!_" the aggressive Bug / Poison type exclaimed, shooting several Poison Sting attacks at the bat-like Pokemon's wings, clipping several of them as they were trying to get away from Omanyte's Rollout attack. The group of flying menaces had by now lost all semblance of order or danger, flying around in circles and hitting each other as they stumbled about in the semi-darkness of the cavern!

"It's working! We're taking them down!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Now, all we need is a little more push… and I know just how to do it! Poliwag, come out! It's your turn!"

"Venonat, you too!" Abelia exclaimed as she let out her strongest Pokemon. Soon enough, the tadpole-like Pokemon and the furry Bug / Poison type had joined the battle, getting targeted by several Zubats as they tried to get on guard.

"_Woah, there are quite a lot of these guys!_" Poliwag exclaimed, narrowly dodging the needle-like teeth of a Zubat that tried to take a bite out of him.

"Don't be afraid, guys! We're here to help you!" Jonathan reassured his newest Pokemon. "Poliwag, lead the charge! Use your Bubble attack!"

"Venonat, swat them with Confusion!" Abelia ordered immediately after.

Poliwag frowned as a Zubat turned around in midair to swoop down on his and attempt a Leech Life attack… but the Water-type managed to act at the right moment and shot a stream of bubbles from his mouth, striking the Zubat in its eyeless face and sending it stumbling to the ground, stunned. Venonat, for his part, kept a close eye on the Zubats encircling him from above… and as soon as he was able to pick a good target, he unleashed a blast of psychic energy at it, striking it head-on and causing it to fall!

"Psychic-type attacks are always effective against Poison-type Pokemon…" Abelia commented, as ifexplaining the motives for her choice to an invisible audience, while Venonat turned in the direction of another Zubat and caught it with another blast from his Confusion attack, making the bat-like Pokemon crash to the round. Poliwag was holding his own rather well himself, despite having been hit by a couple Leech Life attaks, and was now busy using Doubleslap to batter a Zubat into submission with his paddle-like tail.

"Way to go, guys!" Jonathan cheered his Pokemon on. "Now, Omanyte, use Water Gun! And you, Poliwag… support her with Bubble!"

The two Water-types were quick to obey, and in a moment, Omanyte shot a stream of high-pressure water at the flying bat-like Pokemon, hitting two of them, and causing the others to scatter in a cacophony of screeching sounds. Poliwag stood close to the fossil Pokemon, sooting several bubbles from his mouth and keeping the rest of the Zubats at bay, while Abelia's Weedle climbed on top of a nearby rock and launched herself at anther Zubat, attacking it with a powerful Bug Bite that floored the opponent in spite of its type advantage!

"Great job, Weedle… now, use String Shot again!" Abelia praised her Pokemon, almost but not quite smiling at her. Weedle quickly got up and shot another strand of sticky substance, hitting another Zubat and bringing it down! Their numbers now depleted, the bat-like Pokemon decided not to bother anymore and flew away noisily, disappearing in the darker parts of the cavern and leaving behind several of their stunned and unconscious comrades. The battle was over, as quickly as it had begun… and both young trainers, along with their Pokemon, breathed a sigh of relief as the bat-like Pokemon flew away.

"Man, that was a close one…" Jonathan commented, as he checked on his Pokemon and his travelling companion in order to see if they were okay. "Omanyte, Poliwag… you're alright, aren't you? And you, Abelia?"

"_We're okay… I took a few hits, but nothing serious._" Poliwag answered, before turning to Omanyte, who simply nodded and – somehow – gave him a thumbs-up with one of her tentacles!

"I'm fine." Abelia answered, checking her arms and then taking a look at her Venonat and Weedle. Both Pokemon seemed to be a little tired, but they showed no actual sign of injury. "And my Pokemon seem to be okay as well… Venonat, Weedle, is everything alright?"

"_Yeah, we're fine!_" Venonat answered,moving his antennae. "_Zubats aren't much to write home about, when you have the right moves!_"

"That's good…" the silver-haired girl answered, before her mind went back to the problem at hand. "However, with all the noise we've made, I would not be surprised if whoever it is that's creating those lights there already knows we're coming…"

"Frnkly, I don't care whether they expect us or not…" Jonathan answered, causing Abelia to frown slightly. "I'm still curious to see what those lights are about… I'm pretty sure it's somebody that has come here in Rasp Cavern for some reason, and I wouldn't want it to be for some kind of criminal activity."

For a moment, Abelia sid nothing, but kept her gaze low as she watched the ground. Then, she held Jonathan by the shoulder with her right hand, surprising the boy with her suddenness. Jonathan stared back at her, as if asking what she was trying to do… and before he could say anything, Abelia frowned and glared at him in dead seriousness, saying what was springing to her heart at the moment.

"Jonathan… this does not concern us anyway." She said, with a rather hard edge to her voice. "Why don't we just walk away and pretend this never happened? It's not like it's going to be important, anyway… and it could be dangerous if we got involved!"

Jonathan was quite surprised to hear his friend talk like this, as he never thought she would react like this… but this once, he was not going to let up on his decision. Even if Abelia did not seem to place too much importance on it, he knew it could be very important. "Hold… hold on a second, Abi! How do we know that it's nothing really alarming? For all we know, those guys could be Pokemon poachers or worse, and they might be here for some nefarious purpouse… in which case, it would be our duty to do our best to stop them, don't you think so?"

"But…" Abelia retorted, her seemingly passive demeanor switching to an alarmed frown. "But… Jonathan, you know this can be very dangerous, and you might run a big risk! I heard stories about some Pokemon poachers… those people are criminals, and they won't heitate to do away with anyone who tries to stop them…"

Jonathan sighed and glanced down to the ground, admitting to himsef that his friend did have a point. But this was not enough to sway him from his purpouse… "Abelia… I understand that you're concerned, and I can't blame you for thinking that, but still… I must at least make sure that these people aren't criminals or something. Turning a blind eye to them and pretending never to haveseen them won't help anyone… I'm sure you, of all people, should know that better than anybody else!"

Abelia didn't show anything outwardly, but inwardly she shivered in fear and anger at Jonahan's words, remembering that she had already heard those words somewhere else… However, before she had a chance to rebuke her friend about it, she saw Jonathan already taking off to tackle the mysterious question of the dancing lights, a Pokeball already in his hands. "Come on, Abelia! Follow me! You shouldn't stay on your own in these caverns, or you might get lost! Don't worry, I will make sure we don't run any risk!"

"Alright…" Abelia mumured to herself as she took Venipede's Pokeball out of her bag and held it close to her chest, as if the feeling of the cold metal on herself made her feel more reassured. There was an hint of fear and emotional pain in the girl's eyes, as she followed Jonathan's tracks…

"_Stupid Jonathan… stupid, stupid Jonathan! Why do you have to be so noble? This will only end badly for you… this is where your kindness will take you! I know… I just know… But I won't let anything happen to you… nothing will take you away from me, I swear!_"

**oooooooooo**

"Okay… now we have to be very careful!" Jonathan stated, placing a finger to his lips as he turned to Abelia. The two young trainers were now crouching low behind a large rock, having reached a part of the cavern where the landscape turned strangely flat, as if it had been worked on by human hands in order to provide a more favourable environment for human settlements. There were also signs of human presence in the proximities, such as a few empty cans of food and the remains of a lantern, scattered here and there… and as he saw signs of human presence, Jonathan was less and less convinced that it was a good thing. "Obviously, these people don't care very much about leaving the environment intact… just look how they left things lying around…"

"Yeah…" Abelia answered, peeking out from behind the rock they had chosen as an hiding spot. "But I ask myself what they hope to find here…"

"Your guess is as good as mine…" Jonathan answered with a shrug. "But in any case, we should keep following their tracks, and seewhere they will take us. If only it was easy to do so… with this darkness, it's impossible to see where they might have gone…"

Understanding that her friend had already made up his mind about finding out just what was going on, Abelia sighed and took out a Pokeball from her backpack. "Okay, Jonathan… stand back, I have someone here who can lend us a hand with that…" she answered, before opening the containing sphere and allowing one of her Bug-types to come out. "Okay, Venipede… we need your help, now!"

The stout pillbug-like Pokemon appeared in front of the two friends with a small flash, and happily scuttled around for a little, excited at theprospect of being able to aid. "_Yay! My turn now! Thanks for calling me out, Abelia!_" he chittered, causing even the ever-frowning girl to crack a small smile before she resumed her usual demeanor and told Venipede what was going on.

"Okay, Venipede… do you see that?" the silver-haired girl pointed to the trash that had been left in the middle of the cave. "The people who left that rubbish there should not have strayed far away from here… can you follow their trail and bring me and Jonathan to them?"

"_Sure thing! It's no problem for me!_" Venipede answered. After taking a good look outside in order to ascertain that there was no danger, the Bug / Poison type nodded to himself and scuttled out of the hiding place, moving quickly to the place his trainer had pointed out. He quickly sniffed the forlorn items that had been left there, and then searched around for other signs of human presence beyond his friends… and after a few seconds, he pointed in a direction right in front and on the left of Jonathan and Abelia, who quickly came out of hiding and began following their Pokemon friend down that way. Both of them, not wanting to take any chances, decided to call out another one of their Pokemon, and while Jonathan decided to have Oshawott out and ready, Abelia decided that it wouldn't hurt to have her Weedle get some more experience in case there was a fight.

"_Okay, follow me! There should be a few of those guys down that way…_" Venipede chirped. "_Oshawott, Weedle, be careful… we have no idea how strong they are, or even if they do have Pokemon with them, and we have no idea wht their intentions are…_"

"We know that, Venipede… but thanks for warning us anyway!" Jonathan answered with a cheerful wink, as Abelia frowned again and looked at her friend in clear worry…

"_Don't worry about that for now, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it._" Oshawott answered. "_For now, let's just try to find them and discover what they're up to… Go on, Venipede, lead the way!_"

As the small team continued on their way, descending down a sloping tunnel and between a pair of moss-covered rocky walls that glowed faintly in the darkness, the pillbug-like Pokemon nodded and raised his antennae in order to catch any possible sign of danger. The scent of the intruders was getting stronger and stronger, and he could start hearing some muffled voices in the distance. He was too far away to actually discern what was being said, but it was clearly human voices speaking in hushed tones, as if they were afraid of being discovered. Getting a little closer, Venipede actually managed to discern a male and a female voice…

"_Here they are, guys!_" Venipede whispered urgently. "_Let's get closer… but carefully, we don't want them to know we're here!_"

Weedle tapped her tail in impatience, as if she was itching for a new battle, but the others accepted Venipede's reasoning and crept closer to the softly-glowing walls, trying to creep close to the mysterious people without being noticed. As they reached yet another turn, Abelia crept closer to the room they were about to enter and took a peek inside…

And that was when she saw them – a man and a woman, just like Venipede had heard, dressed in dark green clothes that made them look like explorers of some kind, complete with fingerless goves, heavy dark brown boots, and a dark green beret on their heads. They were right in the middle of the room, staring in wonder and satisfaction at the wall right in front of them… a large levigatd wall of stone, upon which was a huge drawing representing a scary-looking scorpion-like Pokemon, with razor-sharp claws, several pairs of segmented legs, and a long tail ending in a double-edged stinger, whose beady eyes seemed to glare at those in the room with anger and determination…

Abelia almost cried out in surprise, but managed to rein herself in before giving away her position. Being fond of Bug-type Pokemon, Abelia knew what kind of Pokemon was that: a Drapion, a powerful Dark / Poison type Pokemon that evolved from the Bug / Poison type Skorupi… but what purpouse that drawing was for, she had no idea. It was something she had never expected to see in such a place…

And more to the point, what were those two people doing there?

"Hey, Abi… what's going on there?" Jonathan whispered to his best friend, who quickly signalled to him to be silent with an index finger to her lips.

"Sssh… I'm trying to hear what they're talking about…" she answered. "I have to say, I am beginning to think you were right… we need to discover what these people are trying to do… though I'm still convinced that we shouldn't involve ourselves in such things. And you, Weedle, you stay here until we give you the sign, okay? Don't be reckless, or you won't last long!"

The Hairy Bug Pokemon, who had been itching for her chance to get into a new fight and give those two people the what-for, frowned in annoyance but obeyed her trainer… and just then, the two adults in the room happened to slightly raise their voices, allowing both trainers andPokemon to hear what they were there for…

"Well, will you look at that!" the man said, clearly satisfied with their discovery as their electric torches danced over the huge image of the Drapion, highlighting its claws and stinger. "This is just what the boss said we would find here… and I'm sure there's something interesting beyond this wall as well!"

"Yeah… but for now, we don't have what we need to get on the other side…" the woman continued, combing her long brown hair with one hand. "Just discovering this place and the Drapion litography is a good result for now. Let's try to see if we can find anything interesting around here… and after that, we'll go back to base and report to our boss!"

"What are they talking about?" Abelia asked herself quietly, frowning at the two people's words.

Jonathan stepped forward. "I don't know… but now I'm sure we are dealing with some scoundrels here!" he said. "Oshawott, we're going in! We aren't going to let those guys do whatever they want here!"

"_Right behind you, Jonathan!_" Oshawott exclaimed. "_Venipede, Weedle! Follow us, we're getting in the fight!_"

Weedle was just waiting to hear that. "_Finally! I was getting restless here!_" she answered, wiggling her poison stinger as Venipede arched his body somewhat, the colored chitinous plated on his body emitting a faint light. Abelia herself nodded and got ready… and before the two mysterious explorers could get away, the young trainers and their Pokemon stepped out and stood before them, ready to stop them!

"Hold on a second, you two!" Jonathan shouted, as his Oshawott got ready and slipped in a fighting pose, while the two explorers stepped back in surprise. "What are you doing here in this place? And who's this boss you speak of? What are you planning to do?"

"_You'd better not get smart with us!_" Oshawott fired at them, as Venipede and Weedle took position at his sides, and Abelia glared at the two explorers as well. Caught off guard, the man and the woman grit their teeth and took another steps backwards, reaching for the Pokeballs they kept hanging from their belts.

"What? What are these kids doing in such a place?" the woman exclaimed, her hand tightly grabbing a Pokeball. "You two! Who are you, and why are you here! This is no place for children, you know!"

"We are aspiring Pokemon trainers!" Jonathan replied hotly. "We have started our journey yesterday, and we just happened to come across you guys being suspicious… so now we want to know, why are you here, and what do you hope to gain from this… er… Drapion drawing?"

"From the drawing in itself? Nothing…" the man answered nonchalantly. "But what this place i hiding might be of great interest to us and our boss… and since you kids have heard about that, I'm afraid we can't just let you walk away undisturbed! Go, Kecleon! Show those kids what the Pokemon Pinchers are made of!"

"Pokemon Pinchers? What's that about?" Abelia asked herself but quickly put those thoughts aside as a Pokemon she had never seen before appeared in front of her Weedle: it looked like a chamaleon walking on its hind legs, covered in green scales and with yellow ring around its huge, independently-moving eyes as well as having yellow lips and frills. It had small ridges on its shoulders and a purple zigzagging stripe around its midsection, as well as a long, skinny tail that was kept curled in a spiralling shape. Unfamiliar with that strange Pokemon, Jonathan quickly consulted his Pokedex…

"_Kecleon, the Color Swap Pokemon. This lizard is able to blend into its surroundings by changing the color of its body. However, it reverts to its usual color if startled._" The portable computer explained. In the meantime, the woman smirked nastily and let out two of her own Pokemon… which Jonathan had no need of a Pokedex to recognize: one of them was a mouse-like Pokemon with long whiskers, round ears and a purplish fur that turned white on its belly… while the other was a grey pigeon-like Pokemon with large yellow eyes and a rounded head crowned by three feathers, along with a short black beak and a wide heart-shaped area of lighter coloration on the chest. Those two were obviously a Rattata and a Pidove, two kinds of Pokemon noted for being favored by beginning trainers, as they were both common and easy to train.

"Well, then, children… now you will see why it was a bad idea to cross us!" the man said with a cocky smirk. "Kecleon… use a Lick attack!"

"_Right away!_" the lizard-like Pokemon answered. Its tongue shot out at blinding speed, extending itself at such range that Jonathan could not ever have imagined it possible, and hit Oshawott in the chest, pushing him down with incredible power!

"_Ouch!_" the otter-like Pokemon lamented as he stood up again. "_That hurt, you know, jerk? Why, I ought to teach you a lesson!_"

"Well said, Oshawott! Attack him with Water Gun!" Jonathan ordered, as Abelia's Venipede and Weedle began facing the woman's Rattata and Pidove. The otter-like Pokemon, annoyed at his opponent's previous attack, took aim and shot a jet of high-pressure water at Kecleon, hitting it straight in the face and causing it to flinch slightly… but right then, Kecleon's scales turned from their original emerald green to a strange bluish-purple, and the chamaleon-like Pokemon quickly stood up as if nothing had really happened, shrugging off the attack.

"Well done to hit my Kecleon." The man complimented Jonathan in an almost affable way. "However, you will soon see that you've pretty much shot yourself in the foot with this. Kecleon… use your tail to execute a Bind attack on that silly otter."

Kecleon grinned and unfurled his tail as he tried to whip Oshawott with it… and the Water-type was too slow to react, and was quickly grabbed by the tentacle-like appendage and dragged down! He tried to defend himself, shooting another Water Gun at his opponent… but much to his displeasure, he saw that the Water Gun was not even having the brief effect it used to!

As Jonathan had his problems to tackle, Abelia was intently watching the fight between her opponent's Rattata and Pidove, and her own Venipede and Weedle, who were now circling threateningly around each other, waiting for the right moment to strike…

Abelia was sure she had caught the right moment to have her Pokemon attack, but the woman beat her to it and issues the order one split second before the sundress-wearing girl could open her mouth. "Now's the time, Pidove! Rattata! Use Quick Attack, both of you!" she exclaimed. Both of her Pokemon dashed forward at incredible speed and struck their respective targets, causing Venipede and Weedle to step backwards a little while the blows rained down on them! With a confident smile, the Pokemon Pincher decided to press her apparent advantage. "Hehehee… and now, Pidove… use your Gust attack! Now!"

"_Sure!_" the pigeon-like Pokemon exclaimed, as it began rapidly beating its wings and shooting a powerful gust of wind at the two Bug-types. Venipede anchored himself to the ground and managed to avoid the worst of the hit, but Weedle was hit and stumbled on the ground, with Abelia gritting her teeth in sympathy. However, by now both the silver-haired girl and her Pokemon were sick of being treated like punching bags, and decided to strike back at their opponents.

"Be steady, guys! The fight has only just begun!" Abelia exclaimed. "Weedle… time to go for a Poison Sting! Venipede, attack with Rollout!"

"_I'm taking this one down!_" Weedle exclaimed as she took aim against the enemy Rattata, who was now trying to close in for a Tail Whip attack. However, Weedle was faster this time, and shot a lethally precise stinger from her head, hitting the mouse-like Pokemon in the shoulder and causing it to screech and fall to the ground in pain. Pidove was trying to hover on Venipede and attack with another Gust attack, but the pillbug-like Pokemon managed to defend himself, curling himself into a spiny red-and-green ball and barrelling towards Pidove at high speed. Surprised at its opponent's unortodox tactic, Pidove was unable to dodge in time, and was struck straight in the chest, losing altitude and almost crashing down on the ground as Venipede rolled on the ground and took another swing.

"What?" the woman exclaimed. "Darn kid… Rattata, never mind that stupid Weedle! Stop that rolling pillbug, now! Use Tackle!"

"_Alright!_" Rattata answered, before tossing itself at the rolling Venipede with all of its strength. It managed to knock the Bug-type Pokemon off course, preventing him from reaching Pidove once again… but just a second later, the rat Pokemon grit its teeth in pain and collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.

"What?" the woman exclaimed in shock. "What is this all about, little girl? What trick are you pulling on me?"

"No trick at all. Just Venipede's ability, Poison Point." Abelia answered without missing a beat. "A direct attack on Venipede runs the risk of the attacker getting stung with the poisonous points scattered all over Venipede's body. You should have known that before attempting a direct attack. Now, Weedle, wrap it up with a Bug Bite!"

The Hairy Bug Pokemon seemed to smile to herself and lunged at the weakened Rattata, biting it with all her strength and drawing a pained squeak out of it before the rat-like Pokemon collapsed in exhaustion, its eyes turning into swirls just as Weedle detached from it and raised her body in the air, proudly celebrating her victory.

Venipede, for his part, failed to hit Pidove with another Rollout attack, but managed to lend on his legs only a few metres away from the pigeon-like Pokemon, who quickly regained its bearings and tried to attack again. Now knowing thata direct contact with Venipede would have put it at undue risk, the pigeon Pokemon used its small wings to kick up more wind and send it at Weedle in a Gust attack, but this time, Venipede was ready and managed to jump out of the way, before countering.

"Venipede, use Poison Sting… and then, another Rollout!" Abelia ordered. The pillbug-like Pokemon did as he was told and shot a poisoned dart at Pidove, hitting it on the wing, before curling up into a ball once again, and rolling towards his opponent, taking a huge leap just before reaching it… and finally striking him square in the chest, causing the pigeon-like Pokemon to finally drop to the ground in a daze, giving Abelia the win.

"Ugh… curse you, little girl…" the woman muttered darkly as she recalled her Pokemon. "Don't think you can get away with that! Nobody crosses the Pokemon Pinchers and gets away with it!"

The battle between Jonathan's Oshawott and the male Pincher's Kecleon was going on… and the otter-like Pokemon had discovered, much to his chagrin, that his Water-tpe attacks weren't having much of an effect on the chamaleon-like Pokemon, whose scales had turned a strange shade of deep blue following Oshawott's Water Gun. The man, for his part, seemed to be all too happy t explain just how his Pokemon's strange power worked…

"Hehehee… are you surprised, kiddo?" he laughed. "That's Kecleon's power, Color Change… in practice, this Pokemon has the natural ability to change his type ccording to the last attack that hit him! Now that my Keclon has become a Water-type for all intents and purpouses, your silly Water-type attacks can't do anything against him!"

"_That's true!_" Kecleon gleefully shot back. "_But of course, the same can't be said for you, right?_"

With that, the lizard-like Pokemon unwinded his tail and used it to grab Oshawott, binding both his arms to the torso, and then lifting him up in the air as he struggled to free himself. However, it took more than just that to intimidate Jonathan and his Pokemon… and the young boy immediately showed that he was no fool!

"So what? Even if your Pokemon can change type, we just have to adapt to it!" he fired back. "Oshawott, attack with Tail Whip!"

With a sudden jerking movement, Oshawott forced Kecleon to lay him down… then, he grabbed the lizard-like Pokemon's tail and struck back with his own tail, causing Kecleon to drop his guard and weaken his hold on the Water-type… at least, until Kecleon seemed to vanish right in front of Oshawott's eyes!

"Hehee… if you think you've got us beat, you're dead wrong!" the male Pincher answered. "Kecleon, use Faint Attack!"

Jonathan and Oshawott looked around themselves, in an attempt to see where the attack was coming from… and right after that, Kecleon reappeared right on Oshawott's side, delivering a mighty blow with his forepaws and sending the Water-type on the ground with a shriek. Then, it disappeared again, as Oshawott climbed back up and tried to ascertain where his opponent was…

"_Jonathan, I can't seehim! I cannot avoid his attacks if this keeps up!_" the otter-like Pokemon exclaimed… to which, luckily, Jonathan was already trying to think of a possible solution.

"Darn… this is bad, if that Pokemon can effectively turn invisible, we have our work cut out for us…" he murmured to himself… before an idea came to him! "Oh… sure, how stupid of me! I should have thought of that before! Oshawott, attack with Water Sport!"

"_What?_" Oshawott asked in wonder… but then, a cunning look came on his face as he understood what Jonathan actually wanted. "_Hmm… alright then, that's a great idea! Watch me deal with this clown, Jonathan!_"

With that, Oshawott lifted his head up and sprayed water all over the battlefield, causing a miniature rain all around himself… and Kecleon, who was invisible but still solid, stopped cold in surprise as the water fell upon him and revealed his silhouette, causing him to lose his stealth, and his owner to grit his teeth in anger.

"Yeah! That was what I was talking about!" Jonathan cheered happily. "And now… Oshawott, use a good Tackle attack and take him down!"

Oshawott smiled and slammed the now-visible Kecleon with all his strength, knocking him down and causing his scales to turn green again as the lizard landed on his back. With a growl, the chamaleon-like Pokemon tried to get up… but his owner decided that enough was enough, and recalled him inside his Pokeball.

"Curses… I can't believe we were tripped up by a couple of stupid kids…" he murmured angrily. "Lena, we have lost for now! We need to go back to base and report to the bosses!"

The woman named Lena snorted angrily as she recalled her Rattata and Pidove, and then retreated towards another corridor along with her companion. "Tch… call yourselves lucky, you two!" she growled fiercely. "For this once, we're forced to flee! But watch your back, because you've just made an enemy of the Pokemon Pinchers! You can bet on it, we'll chase you down and destroy you!"

With that, both criminals turned tail and fled the scene, leaving the two children alone in the cavern, in front of the huge Drapion litography. Jonathan and Oshawott were about to give chase, but Abelia firmly grasped her friend's wrist, stopping him from going any further. "Don't, Jonathan. We already have done enough." She told him, dismissing their threats. "We'll talk to the police about those guys as soon as we arrive in Cocona Village… no need to run more risks!"

"But, Abelia…" Jonathan tried to protest… before deciding that his friend did have a point and sighing in defeat. "Okay, fine, I got it… are you and your Pokemon okay, by the way?"

"Sure, piece of cake…" Abelia answered, looking at her Venipede and Weedle, who both nodded in assent… before a strange glowing aura began emitting from Weedle's body, engulfing the surprised Hairy Bug Pokemon in a nimbus of light! "Huh? Hold on a second… I think my Weedle is evolving…"

"_She is… just look at that!_" Venipede commented, as Weedle was completely engulfed in light… and after a few moments in which a dazzling display of light blinded them all, the children and their Pokemon were able to get a good look at Weedle's new form – a Kakuna, a yellow coccoon-like Pokemon with a dome-shaped head and black, triangular eyes, which looked like an unfinished wasp!

"It's… it's true!" Abelia exclaimed, her usual neutral expression giving way to a rarely-seen joy and enthusiasm while she consulted her Pokedex. "My Weedle evolved… into a Kakuna!"

"_Kakuna. The Coccoon Pokemon. It remains virtually immobile as it clings to a tree. However, on the inside, it busily prepares for evolution. It can extend its poison barb if it is attacked._"

"Heh… well, congratulations, Abelia!" Jonathan exclaimed, as his friend picked up Kakuna and affectionately hugged her, while Venipede and Oshawott cheered for the event! "That's a great success for you! Your Weedle is now one step closer to becoming a splendid Beedrill!"

"You know, Jonathan…" Abelia said, with as mile of her face. "I… might actually get to really like your idea of becoming a Pokemon trainer! It's beginning… to really interest me!"

Jonathan smiled back at his friend. That was at least one step forward for her…

**oooooooooo**

**To be continued…**


	4. Teakwood Troubleshooters

**Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**Hey everyone! As you can see, I'm back with the new chapter of my story! I hope I haven't taken too much time to update it… and my good friend NebSparky86, in the meantime, has found the time to publish his own sidestory to Rise of Heroes! If you have time, I'd advise you to take a look at it, it's really good!**

**But anyway… let's get back to where we were last time, right? Jonathan and Abelia have just found their way into the mysterious Rasp Cavern, where they had to contend with a swarm of angry Zubats… and with a pair of strange people calling themselves Pokemon Pinchers, who seemed to have some not-so-nice plans for the Pokemon they were going to capture. Luckily, our bold heroes have managed to take down their enemies, and Abelia's Weedle even managed to evolve into a Kakuna while she was at it… but it seems those two were part of a much, much bigger organization that will play an important part later in the story! Which means that, while Jonathan and Abelia have all the right in the world to celebrate their victory for now, they will have not to drop their guard, as they can be expected to have their steps followed very closely!**

**This chapter will see Jonathan and Abelia finally getting out of the Rasp Cavern… and very soon, they will have to deal with another problem, as they take their first steps into Teakwood Forest, one of the most notorious forest areas in Oblivia! It seems that there really is no rest for a Pokemon trainer… but rest assured, our heroes will find a way to solve this problem as well!**

**Okay then… with this, all I have to do is bid you happy reading… and of course, please let me know if you enjoyed it! Reviews are always welcome!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 4 – Teakwood Troubleshooters**

Jonathan and Abelia, along with their Pokemon, had decided they would spend the night in the Rasp Cavern and, after walking through the subterranean maze some more, they had picked a nice quiet spot where they would surely be protected by any kind of possible disturbance – especially those pesky Zubats who seemed to pop out of nowhere every ten seconds, and whose tenacity they already had had a sample of earlier that day. Luckily, both kids had had the luck of finding a pace that allowed them to settle in without being bothered.

It had worked well, too: Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon had managed to enjoy a quiet night of rest, only disturbed from time to time by the loud chirping of a Kricketot or similar cave Pokemon. The next morning, when some faint rays of light had filtered through the openings in the rocky walls of the cavern, the two young trainers had managed to wake up bang on time, fix up a quick breakfast, and head for the exit of the cavern, though they were still thinking of the Pokemon Pinchers they had fought in the innermost part of the underground maze.

"Say, Abelia…" Jonathan was saying at that moment, as the two young trainers were going down a slope, towards a light at the end of the tunnel. "Do you think we'll be meeting more of those strange people we met back there? From what it seemed, they belonged to some sort of organization…"

Abelia sighed, seemingly in exhaustion. "I don't know, Jonathan… and if I can be frank here, I don't even care." She answered, hoping that her childhood friend would just let the topic lie. "I just hope we don't ever meet any of those people again. I don't want you to get into trouble by playing hero."

"But…" Jonathan tried to protest, but he quickly stopped himself. There was no reason to keep discussing that, when they weren't even sure they would meet those people again. "Okay, then… we'll just have to see whether we meet them again. Anyway, I was thinking about that Drapion representation back there…"

Abelia seemed a little more willing to talk about that. "You too, huh? I was wondering about that as well…" the silver-haired girl thought out loud. "After all, I was thinking who might have put that drawing down there, and what's the meaning of it. Do you think your parents might have an idea?"

"Hmm…" Jonathan stopped for a moment and thought about it. "Well, they certainly could come up with some reasonable explanations. After all, I don't know anyone who knows the history of Oblivia as well as they do… Tell you what, Abelia, as soon as we're in Cocona Village, we'll try to contact them and see whether they can tell us something more about that drawing, is that okay?"

"Fair enough for me…" the silver-haired girl said, in a somewhat uninterested manner. "As far as I'm concerned, if it can leave those two idiots and their organzation to someone else to deal with, it's a good enough solution."

Jonathan nodded, before glancing forward, to the light that was filtering through the exit. This could only means that their undergrond journey through Rasp Cavern had come to an end. Which was fortunate, as far as he was concerned – he was kinda tired of having to walk through such narrow, damp corridors. "Well, anway… it seems we've got happier things to think about, Abi! We're about to get out of Rasp Cavern… and right in front of us is Teakwood Forest, the main woodland area of this island!"

"I see that…" Abelia answered, glancing at the light in front of them, which was gradually becoming brighter as they advanced towards it. Beyond the exit of the cavern, she could already see the bright green of the moss, and the quiet atmosphere of the deep woods was already possible to feel from the inside. It had a calm, soothing feel to it that the Bug-type user found pleasant… "I'm glad to be out of here, all things considered. And I hope we won't run into trouble while we make our way to Cocona Village."

"Don't worry, Abelia!" Jonathan reassured her with a wink. "Teakwood Forest is such a quiet place, that I am sure we won't run into any trouble! Shield your eyes, getting back into the light after spending a whole day in that cavern might be unpleasant…"

A few moments later, Jonathan was the first one to set foot outside Rasp Cavern, and to look around himself, trying to orient himself. The forest was event more spectacular than he had heard about… it consisted of a deep maze of century-old trees, whose trunks were wide enough that Jonathan an Abelia could hardly encircle one if they joined hands. Deep green masses of leaves obscured much of the sky above them, only allowing a few scant rays of sun to filter through them, and the ground was covered in fallen leaves, broken branches and moss. Everything was immersed in peace and quiet, as if the animals and Pokemon living there were afraid to disturb the silence that reigned supreme.

Abelia herself seemed to ease up a little as she carefully stepped out of the cave, her bare feet lightly treading on the moss-covered ground. It was a nice feeling, and the quiet atmosphere did help her relaxing a little. "So… er… this is Teakwood Forest? I… didn't think it was so beautiful…" she said with some embarassment. Secretly, she was a little ashamed of herself for locking herself up in her home for such a long time, when such beautiful places existed not to so far from her place…

Jonathan himself was watching his friend with interest, smiling to himself as he saw her awed expression. She really seemed to enjoy being there, and to be able to see new things… maybe that would be a good first step for her to come out of her shell! "Heheheee… you seem to like this place, Abi! In fact, I think Teakwood Forest is one of the most beautiful places here in Oblivia! And I'm curious to see if we can catch a few Pokemon here as well!"

"Well…" the sundress-wearing young girl said, her delicate hand stroking the trunk of an ancient oak tree. "I have to say, I was quite surprised that such a place existed so close to our homes… really, I had no idea what I was missing out on! Though… it kinda makes me feel unconfortable as well… I mean, I'm realizing that it's a wide world we live in…"

Jonathan chuckled good-naturedly to himself, and patted his friend on the shoulder to tell her it was time to get moving. "If you're so curious to see what this place is all about, Abi… then, let's get moving! If we move quickly enough, we can get through this forest in about a couple days, and get to Cocona Village, where we can consider what to do!" Jonathan proposed. "What do you say about it, are you interested?"

"Let's say… I might actually get to like this trainer thing. And not just for the Pokemon we'll see…" Abelia answered, trying to get back into her usual aloof mood. "Now, Jonathan, what are we waiting for? If we need to get to Cocona Village anyway, better early than late."

"Hehehee… you are absolutely right, Abi!" the young boy answered, putting his headband back in place as the two children began their trip through the mysterious forest…

**oooooooooo**

What Jonathan had said was turning out to be true – Abelia had never seen a place as beautiful and mysterious as Teakwood Forest, with its tall trees, lush vegetation and rich animal life. It was like taking a step out of her old, lonely home and seeing a new world just one step beyond her door. Outwardly, Abelia was trying to act the same as she always did… but simply by observing her carefully, Jonathan was able to see that something was beginning to be different wihin her. He hoped that would be the first sign of her opening up to the world, and learning to open her own heart as well…

"Well, I think we can take a break now… we've been walking for quite a long time now, after all!" Jonathan proposed. "And our Pokemon might probably want to get out of their Pokeballs and get some of this wonderful place as well, don't you think so?"

Abelia blinked somewhat goofily. In fact, she had to admit she hadn't thought about that, absorbed as she was with contemplating the beautiful place, and she hadn't thought about her Pokemon… she mentally repriminded herself to be more considerate towards her Pokemon, before turning to her friend and nodding once. They found a good place soon enough and sat down on a couple of moss-covered rocks, before taking their Pokeballs and opening them one by one, allowing their Pokemon to come out and stretch their legs.

Or tentacles, in the case of Jonathan's Omanyte, who seemed to immediately acclimate herself to the damp atmosphere of Teakwood Forest, crawling on the ground on all eights!

"_Phew! Finally out! Not that I dislike travelling in a Pokeball, but the chance to take a few steps out is just… awesome!_" the spiral-shelled squid commented in her shrill voice, as Poliwag and Oshawott appeared right behind her and took a deep breath. On Abelia's side came her Venonat, her Venipede and her Kakuna – the Weedle that had evolved during the fight with the Pokemon Pinchers, just the day before! Except, Kakuna seemed a little annoyed about being in that place, at that particular moment…

"_Darn…_" she muttered in a voice that sounded like the buzzing on a huge hornet, somehow modulated in order to simulate a human voice. "_I'm glad to have evolved, sure… but I wish I was a Beedrill already! This place is so great that I would love to be able to move about!_"

Venipede chuckled giddily. "_Hehehee… I know what you mean, Kakuna! But don't worry, I'm sure you will grow wings and fly very soon!_" he answered. "_It's just your luck that Bug-type Pokemon like us tend to evolve rather early._"

Understanding her Pokemon's point, Abelia sighed and gently chided her Kakuna with a quick scratch on top of its tough carapace. "I understand your point, Kakuna… I'll see what Jonathan and I can do about it. With a little bit of training, you should be able to catch up pretty soon, I think."

"_Thank you, Abelia! I'm lucky to have a trainer such as you!_" Kakuna thanked her trainer, and despite being nothing more than a legless coccoon, she managed to hop lightly towards Abelia in order to rub herself on her leg.

"Well then… how do you like this place, guys?" Jonathan asked the Pokemon that were now surrounding him and Abelia. "Personally, this place is so quiet I could fall asleep in the middle of it, if I wasn't a travelling trainer!"

"_This place is making m sort of nervous, Jonathan…_" his Oshawott answered, and Jonathan was a little surprised to see that the small otter Pokemon seemed actually frightened by the whole deal. "_I… I mean, we're in a forest, right? Which means that Grass-type Pokemon will surely be abundant around here… and truth be told, I'm afraid of Grass-types!_"

"Huh? What do you…" Jonathan naively started to ask… before realizing that his Oshawott's fear was perfectly logical! "Ouch… silly me, I had pretty much forgotten! You're right, Grass-type Pokemon have one heck of an edge on Water-types… and I haven't even taught you some good Ice-type oves to go along with your attacks! Man, I have to remedy ths as soon as I can…"

"_Don't worry, if we are dealing with some Grass-types, we can use our Bug and Poison type attacks to deal with them!_" Venonat answered, before taking a glance at his trainer, who simply nodded an affirmative.

Oshawott sighed in relief. "_Well, thank you very much, Venonat! I feel much better knowing you are here to help!_"

"_Me too… I really hadn't thought of the Grass-type Pokemon living here…_" Omanyte answered, with a fearful shiver. As a Water / Rock type, she was particularly vulnerable to Grass-type attacks, even more so than Oshawott and Poliwag… however, the tadpole-like Pokemon did not seem daunted by the prospect of facing that kind of Pokemon, and in fact, he seemed to welcome the challenge!

"_I don't mind a good challenge… let those weed-brains come if they dare!_" he exclaimed, wagging his paddle-shaped tail. "_I'm not going down without a fight!_"

Jonathan chuckled. "That's good to knw, Poliwag! Fist off, though, I hink we should concentrate on…"

He never had a chance to finish his sentence, as the sudden, harsh sound of a broken branch jolted him from his thoughts and caused him to quickly turn his head in the direction from which the sound had come… just as the figure of a Pokemon Ranger, clad in a green uniform with a matching beret, made his way through the thick vegetation and onto the road upon which Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon were walking!

Immediately, Abelia's eyes widened and she hid behind Jonathan, as if the sight of the Pokemon Ranger had reminded her of something she feared… and her friend, understanding what she was upset about, reassured her with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, Abi… everything's okay, it's just a Pokemon Ranger passing through…" he stated, keeping an eye on the Ranger getting cautiously closer, pointing what seemed to be a small electronic device at them. Not knowing what to do, the young boy decided to just wait and see what would happen…

"Is… Is anything the matter, Ranger?" Jonathan asked, just as the Ranger stopped a few feet away from the two aspiring trainers. He examined them for a few moments… then, he nodded to himself and took on a more relaxed demeanor.

"Don't worry, kids, you're all clear!" he said, nodding to them. "Fora moment, I mistook you for a bunch of troublemakers that are running rampant in Teakwood Forest in recent times."

"What?" Jonathan asked, allowing himself to drop his defences somewhat. "What do you mean there are troublemakers around here?"

"I meant just that, there are troublemakers around here..." the ranger said, still eyeing the two children, as he was not too sure what to make of them. It did seem strange that they were Pokemon trainers, considering Oblivia never even had a Pokemon League in the first place... therefore, it was really rare to see someone attempting such a journey. "They go around Teakwood Forest, and they have fun damaging the environment and generally making a mess out of everything. We are trying to catch them, and so far we have even managed to get a couple of them, but those guys are nothing if not clever. They have managed to avoid most of our traps so far... anyway, if you happen to run into someone who looks suspicious around here, please try to warn the Pokemon Rangers as son as possible."

"I see..." Jonathan answered with a nod, as Abelia tried to make herself even more scarse behind her friend's back. By the squeeze she gave to his shoulder, he could understand that she probably wanted nothing to do with the whole deal... However, his own sense of justice simply would not let him just ignore the problem and go on his way. "Okay, then... If we see someone trying to have his way with Teakwood Forest, we'll try to warn you. Or, if we can, we'll try to stop them with our Pokemon!"

"Jonathan!" Abelia murmured hurriedly, to which Jonathan turned her way and nodded seriously. "What are you thinking..."

"Abelia, I know... but I can't just turn a blind eye of things!" the young boy told her in a whispered hush. "And our Pokemon can take care of anything that those two-bit idiots throw at us! Don't forget, I have been training my Pokemon even before this journey began, and you have done it as well! Plus, your Kakuna is pretty strong now, right?"

The sundress-wearing girl was at a loss for word. "Er... yes, I can see that, but... it was not about our Pokemon..." she said, but it was in such a low voice that her friend didn't hear her.

"That's okay, mister... we'll try to help you as much as we can!" Jonathan finally answered to the Pokemon ranger, who simply nodded and smiled slightly at them.

"Good to know, kids! Take care, this place is one of the most beautiful in Oblivia, but it's filled with natural obstacles and aggressive Pokemon!" he answered. He took a good look at the Pokeballs they were carrying with them, noticing that they had three of them each. "Oh, and by the way, kids... you seem to be dead set on becoming Pokemon trainers, don't you?"

Jonathan widened his eyes a little, as Abelia frowned noticeably. "Er... yes, sir... I know it's a strange choice for someone who lives in Oblivia like us, but... we wanted to become trainers and make our names known!" he answered, getting more giddy at the end. "Anyway... yes, that's what we are trying to become. I thought that maybe, we could even get to become champions in another continent or something!"

"That's a pretty tall order, kid... but it's an admirable goal anyway!" the ranger answered. "In that case... I wish you both the best of luck! Oh, and by the way... you got yourself a pretty cute girlfriend, you know?"

Jonathan widened his eyes at that... but he didn't have time to say anything, as Abelia popped up from behind him, her face flushed, and her pigtails almost moving on their own through sheer embarassment! "Girlfriend? I... I am not Jonathan's girlfriend! I am just going with him on our Pokemon journey! That's it, seriously!" she exclaimed... which only caused the Pokemon ranger to chuckle good-naturedly.

"Hehehee... you finally show up, girl! I was beginning to fear you were mute or something..." he answered, catching Abelia off guard and causing her to take a step backwards. "Anyway... good luck to you as well, and I hope your journey goes well! See you around, kids!"

With that, the ranger turned around and waved his hand goodbye, leaving the two bewildered kids in the clearing as they watched him go away. Jonathan and Abelia turned to each other and wordlessly stared in each other's eyes... then Abelia turned away, her pale face getting a shade of pink darker! "Hmph! That's not the sort of things to joke around so lightly with!" she stated. "He got it all wrong!"

"Yeah… you're right, Abi! He just… jumped to conclusion, that's all!" Jonathan said, clearly embarassed by the whole thing. "Anyway… now we know there are some people who might give us some grief around. Make sure your Pokemon are good and ready if we happen to run into these guys, we'll tie them up and hand them over to the Rangers!"

Abelia frowned. "Hold on a second, Jonathan… why is it that you always feel the need to help, whenever someone is in trouble? You know that this habit of yours might one day get you in trouble as well, don't you?" she asked point-blank, looking at her Water Pokemon-loving friend straight in the eye.

Not expecting such a direct reaction from Abelia, Jonathan found himself blinking numbly and staring back at her in puzzlement… then, he cleared his throat and answered. "You know that this is just the way I am, Abelia! Whenever someone is in trouble, I can't help but try to help him. It's something that just comes by itself, you know?"

"This is going to cost you, later on…" Abelia murmured, her eyes growing sad and regretful as she glances aside. "However… if this is what you decided, I guess I cannot do anything but try to support you as best as I can. Okay, then… if we find these vandals, we'll take them down. But only if we find them, okay? I don't want to go out of my way to help that guy…"

There was an hint of hostility towards the Pokemon Rangers in Abelia's words, which had Jonathan surprised and confused for a short while, before he made the connection. "I understand… I don't exactly agree, Abi, but I see your point. So… okay, that will be satisfying for me. Let's get our things ready… and after that, we'll begin to head out of Teakwood Forest. Cocona Village should only be one day away…"

Abelia nodded, with their Pokemon silently watching the whole debacle from their positions around their trainers… and both Oshawott and Kakuna cast a questioning glance at Venonat and Venipede. The hairy Bug / Poison type seemed to sigh and answered to the otter and the newcomer's unspoken question. "_Well, that's just how Abelia is… she's taken on this attitude ever since her parents… well… you know._" He spoke. "_Frankly, I don't know exactly what her reasoning is, but I… well, I don't make it a habit to question her. If it suits her, then I'm okay with it too._"

"_I understand…_" Kakuna answered, her eyes narrowing slightly under her helmet-like head shell. Still, she hoped she could make sense of Abelia's refusal to get involved in other people's problems… and she hoped their differences were not going to cause her and Jonathan to quarrel. Sure, the two of them might have been too young to be in love with each other… but still, the coccoon-like Pokemon was convinced that this didn't mean things could not develop that way in the future…

**oooooooooo**

"Well, looks like I spoke too soon… I thought we were going to meet those people the ranger told us about, but here I see nobody…" Jonathan said, as he and Abelia, Oshawott and Venipede walking alongside them, turned left at a fork, following the directions the young boy had signed on the map he had with himself. "Looks like there won't be anything to worry about, Abelia. Are you happy about that?"

"I'd be lying if I said no…" Abelia answered, trying to appear as distant as possible. Jonathan sighed slightly as he turned to her and once again saw an aloof, almost blank expression etched on her cute face, her silver eyes wandering here and there as she took in her surroundings. She still was clearly fascinated by the wonders she was seeing all around herself, but there was something a little off now, as if what happened earlier and the disagreement with Jonathan had soured her mood.

Jonathan rubbed the back of his head in puzzlement. Sure, he and Abelia had been the best of friends even since they were little kids… but sometimes, Abelia's thought process still eluded him. He wished he could understand her more, so that he might be able to better help her get out of her shell.

In an attempt to lighten the mood and distract Abelia from her most depressive thoughts, Jonathan looked around himself, as if pretending not to know what to say… then, he put a goofy smile on his face, and tried to strike up some more casual conversation. "Well then, Abelia… what do you think we should do, once we get to Cocona Village? You know, I think we should start making some more lengthy plan on how to train and prepare our Pokemon… as well as get a general idea on how we want our team to be!"

"_Well, it just so happens that us Venipedes, when we evolve into Scolipede, become able to learn quite a few moves… not to mention, we are also quite a bit faster and more powerful!_" Abelia's main Bug / Poison type answered, in an attempt to aid Jonathan cheer Abelia up. "_Though, if I could say my part, I'd also like to learn something like Spikes or Toxic Spikes! Nothing better than that to mess with any opponent!_"

"Well, I suppose that's true…" Abelia said, somewhat absent-mindedly. "I haven't really taken a decision yet, thug I guess if I had to choose something, I'd prefer to… huh?"

Both Abelia and her Venipede stopped cold, and Jonathan's Oshawott raised one of his stubby front paws to motion his trainer not to take any step further. "Huh? Abelia, Oshawott… what's the matter? Why are we stopping here?"

"_Jonathan, we are not alone here._" The small otter Pokemon said, placing a small finger to his lips as he hid behind the trunk of a large, moss-covered tree. "_I can hear someone… can't you hear them as well? It's a little distant, but it's there…_"

"Oshawott is right, I can hear them as well…" Abelia answered, keeping her voice low. "I… I hae a hunch these are the troublemakers that ranger warned us about… don't ask me why, I just have this feeling!"

"Then… I say we sneak up to them and see what they're doing!" Jonathan whispered back, an hand clenched into a fist. "And if it turns out they want to do something bad, we jump out and bust them on the spot!"

Abelia wrinkled her nose. "We're not the police, Jonathan…" she murmured, running a hand through her silver hair. "Anyway… you know what I'm about to say about it, so I won't even bother… don't ask about it, I'm going to help you on this even if I don't like it much… but how are you going to take those guys once we're there and they actually turn out to be vandals? Sic Omanye and Poliwag on them?"

"Well, why not? Do we have any other choices?" Jonathan answered. "Don't worry, my Pokemon and I will not be serious about it, and we will make sure they're not harmed if worse comes to worse. Alright, Abelia… shall we go?"

"Let's go…" the silver-haired girl answered, flipping one of her pigtails over her shoulder. "But let's not do anything stupid, okay? If it turns out they're dangerous, we back down, okay?"

"Sure, Abelia…" the boy answered with an heavy sigh. He had the nagging feeling their differences were going to cause trouble during their journey, later on… but for now, their agreement would have to do…

Oshawott sighed as well, hoping the two of them would be able to work out an agreement soon enough…

**oooooooooo**

The small figures of a pair of children, both around the ages of 9 or 10, accompanied by a couple of small Pokemon, were now sneaking around in the lush underwood, taking care to tread upon the soft moss and move as few branches as possible. The chatter and the noise were getting louder as they approached… and now, it was possible to hear some chuckling and some nasty-sounding cackling as well. It sounded like it was all coming from a group of slightly older kids, and Jonathan frowned noticeably as he, Abelia and their Pokemon crouched low behind a thick bush. The bug-loving girl peeked from behind a large bush, and managed to see, only a few metres away from them, a trio of boys, all around 12 or 13 years old, bunching together and cackling to each other, as if they had been telling each other a bunch of very amusing jokes!

"Hehehee… have you seen how they flew away! Like they had an Houndoom right on their asses!" a tall, freckle-faced man with an idiotic smile perpetually etched on his face and his black hair cut incredibly short.

A blond, scrawny boy with a short ponytail laughed out loud, balancing a small stoe in his hand. "Hehee… told you it was fun to scare off those Pidgeys! And when you actually manage to hit one of them with a stone, it's even funnier! Now… how do you suppose we could amuse ourselves?"

"Hey, guys, let's not overdo it, right?" the third boy answered with a smirk. He was rather thin and scrawny as well, with messy brown hair and a smalll scar running down his right temple. All of them were dressed quite casually, with overlarge shorts, sandals and dirty shirts… and they all looked like a bunch of bullies who had nothing better to do than waste their day loafing around and generally acting stupidly. Jonathan grit his teeth, understanding that they were talking about throwing stones at the Pokemon…

"Anyway…" the third boy went on, undaunted. "I say we can amuse ourselves by lighting up a nice little fire!"

"Heh, you've got a point, Felipe!" the blond kid said with a nasty laugh. "When the Pokemon all run away in fear, it's a riot! Plus, it's fun to see the leaves burning and the smoke rising!"

"Let's do this!" the taller youngster answered with another idiotic-sounding laugh, as the blond took out a cigarette lighter and a box of matches from a pocket of his shorts! Jonathan repressed an horrified gasp at their intentions and got ready to come out of his hiding place… and was rather surprised when he turned around and saw that Abelia had hardened her stare in a serious frown, her hand tightly grabbing a tuft of grass next to her knees. The boy was really surprised at this… to think that, up until a few moments earlier, she had seemed to care nothing about the whole thing…

However, he was not going to complain, as Abelia turned to him, a steely determination in her grey eyes.

"Well, Jonathan… guess I've changed my mind after all." she stated. "Now, I really feel the need to give those jerks the what-for! Shall we go?"

"Of course!" the young boy said. "Oshawott, Venonat… here we go!"

"_Right!_" both Pokemon answered in unison, as they and their trainer stood up and walked out of the underwood, startling the gang of boys! The trio of mischief makers widened their eyes, and the scrawny blond dropped his cigarette lighter on the twig-littered ground as he affixed Jonathan and Abelia with a surprised, angry stare!

"What?" the brunet exclaimed. "Who are you, toddlers? What are you doing here?"

Jonathan glared back at him in anger. "We are just a pair of Pokemon trainers who were just passing through, and we're sorry to tell you that your bout of entertainment is over." He stated, his Oshawott getting ready to fight. "Stop what you're doing right now, or you're going to regret it."

"Huh?" the tallest of the three boys asked numbly, as if having trouble comprehending what they had just said to him. Abelia decided to take matters in her own hands, and she and Venonat stepped forward, glaring daggers at the small gang.

"You don't look too bright, big guy, so let me say it in terms you can understand." The silver-haired girl stated. "Leave the Pokemon alone, or we kick your asses."

There was silence from the three bullies for a few seconds… before they burst out laughing, ridiculing what they saw as an hollow threat! "Hehehee… Hahahahaaaa! You're very funny, you know that, kiddo? You're so thin I could break your arm by shaking your hand, and you try to order us around?" the blond guy answered, still laughing at the frowning girl and her Venonat. "Oh, and what's that furball you drag behind? Do you use it to put makeup on you? No? Pity, you should, you need some makeup on that silly face of yours! Hahahahaaa!"

"_Why, you jerks, I ought to…_" Venonat growled, his compound eyes lighting up as he prepared to use his psychic powers to knock out one of those idiots. Abelia herself restrained herself from losing her temper, reasoning that those bullies were so stupid it wasn't even worth it to take offense at their insults.

"That's quite enough from you!" Jonathan decided to cut to the chase. "We heard you laughing about throwing stones at the Pokemon and speaking of lighting a fire here! You're a bunch of irresponsible idiots… don't you know that you could severely damage this forest, an ecological treasure for all Oblivia?"

The brown-haired bully chuckled again. "Hehehee… well, guys, will you just listen to this stupid kid opening his mouth to give air to his teeth?" he jeered. "I bet he doesn't even know what he's saying!"

"What do you say we have some fun with them, guys?" the taller boy said, picking up a Pokeball from his belt. "I'm going to show them just how skilled I am! Come out, Trubbish!"

The Pokemon that popped out of the Pokeball was, literally, garbage: it resembled nothing as much as a dark garbage bag that had been knotted up on top, with large white eyes with a small black pupil, and pointed upper teeth jutting out of his mouth. Its arms were similarly repugnant, looking like they were made of excess trash that had leale out of two large tears on both sides of the bag, while its feet were small and stubby.

"Ugh… gross! But I guess that's the ideal kind of Pokemon for you, huh?" Abelia said, placing a hand in front of her mouth and nose in repulsion. Jonathan and Oshawott gagged from the horrific stench oozing from the bully's Pokemon, as the young boy checked it out on his Pokedex.

"_Trubbish, the Trash Bag Pokemon. They prefer to live in dirty places like garbage dumps. It is said that they are born from a chemical reaction between an abandoned trash bag and industrial waste._" The small computer stated, a small picture of the Pokemon in question popping up on its screen.

"_Just lovely…_" Oshawott murmured, waving a paw in front of his face.

"Hehehee... surprised already? You haven't even seen what my Trubbish is capable of!" the tallest bully exclaimed, before issuing his first order to the hideous Poison-type. "Give that sucker an Acid Spray, Trubbish!"

"_Sure_!" the garbage Pokemon answered. It opened its strange mouth and breathed out a series of orb-shaped green projectiles, each one the size of a man's fist, all flying towards Oshawott at high speed. But Jonathan and his otter-like Pokemon were quick to react to that.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun to stop them!" the young boy yelled. Oshawott nodded and sprayed the floating acidic spheres with a high-pressure stream of water coming out of his mouth, causing the corrosive bubbles to burst and the lethal fluid to drop to the ground with a nasty-sounding hiss. White steam came from the ground as the acid burned anything it touched, but luckily, Jonathan and his Pokemon weren't harmed.

"_Phew. That could have been bad_..." the Water-type starter stated.

"Hey, you! What are you doing, can't you handle that brat yourself?" the blond guy taunted his taller teammate as he grit his teeth in frustration. Both he and the brunet, Felipe, took out their Pokeballs themselves and threw them, letting out two more Trubbish who immediately took their places alongside the first. "Meh, looks like we'll have to help you out of this jam as well. Okay, Trubbish, let's gang up on that worthless water rat!"

However, Abelia would have none of this. "Actually, don't you think that's a little unfair? There's three of you, and you all gang up against one?" she said, stepping up to Jonathan's side. The boy exchanged a side glance at his travelling companion, who just nodded seriously as her Venonat stood on guard next to her. "I'm going to make this a little fairer and get involved myself. I wouldn't have wanted to stay out of this and let you guys get away scot free anyway!"

"Thank you, Abi!" Jonathan stated. He still wasn't sure what had caused his friend to go back on her idea not to get involved, but he was glad to see her all fired up about it.

The blond guy narrowed his eyes at the girl, before sneering nastily. "Hah! Fat chance, girly! We're still more than you are! It's you two against us three. As you can see, you're not exactly doing so hot..."

"_Hey, who said Abelia was going to send just me_?" Venonat buzzed, as the girl nodded, a slight smirk on her face, and produced another Pokeball. She opened it, and sent out her Kakuna, who bounced on the mossy ground for a while and then took a fighting position - or at least, whatever could pass for a fighting position for an immobile coccon. "There! Three on three now! Much fairer if you ask me!"

"_Give me the order, Abelia! I'm ready_!" Kakuna buzzed, itching for a fight!

Felipe laughed at the sight of the two Bug / Poison types, convinced that they weren't going to be a match for his and his friends' Trubbish. "Hah! You're sending those failures in battle against us? That's really funny, you know!"

"We'll see who's laughing after we're done with you, jerks!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Go, Oshawott! Use a nice Tackle!"

"Venonat... Confusion! And you, Kakuna... use Harden!" Abelia stated.

Oshawott breathed in and let out a surprisingly loud growl that managed to shake up the enemies, leaving the three Trubbish disoriented for a couple seconds… which was more than enough for him to shoulder tackle one of them, and for Venonat to use his attack and send a wave of psychic energy straight at another of the enemies. The targetted Trubbish yelped in fear as it was telecinetically lifted off the ground andslammed hard against one of its comrades, leaving the two of them stunned on the ground while Kakuna's outer shell began shining, a sign that it was building up its defence. However, the three bullies weren't done yet, and as two Trubbish began picking themselves up from the ground, the third one growled and glared hatefully at Kakuna.

"You think you're tough, huh, kids?" the taller guy grunted. "Well then… here's some food for thought! Trubbish, attack with Toxic Spikes!"

The garbage Pokemon complied and shot out a bunch of sharp needles that struck the ground in front of Oshawott, preventing the otter-like Pokemon from stepping forward. Venonat and Kakuna found themselves surrounded by the poisonous spikes as well… and while their dual type protected them from the poison, the needles did prevent them from moving as freely as they could have otherwise.

"Hehehee… well done, Anthony!" Felipe remarked with a victorious smirk. "And now, friends… let's up the ante! Use Acid Spray again!"

"You too!" the blond bully exclaimed. The other two Trubbish answered by shooting another bunch of green acidic bubbles and making them rain upon the Pokemon who had been trapped by the Toxic Spikes!

"Damn, this isn't good…" Jonathan answered, looking the Acid Spray attack approaching with increasing dread. "We need to think of a way to get out of this predicament…"

Abelia frowned, trying to think of way out of this… and just then, with the acid bubbles just a few seconds away from impacting, Oshawott widened his eyes in sudden realization and smirked as he managed to think of a way around this… with sudden speed, Oshawott grabbed the shell on his chest and began swinging it like a blade, cutting off the poisoned darts that littered the ground around him… then, he dashed forward and dove to the ground, avoiding the Acid Spray just in time! The acidic bubbles hit the ground again, and a squirt of corrosive fluid landed too close to Jonathan for the young boy's confort, but in the end, his Oshawott managed to come out of it unharmed.

"Venonat, use Confusion again!" Abelia ordered. One second later, the hairy bug concentrated and sent a wave of psychic energy at the enemy's Acid Spray, managing to counter it in midair! However, as they were hit by the psychic blast, the green bubbles burst and released their acid all over the place! "Ugh… I hadn't predicted that!" Abelia said, cursing her own thoughtlessness.

Venonat tried to cover himself with his short arms when some drops of acid rained down on him, doing little damage because of his own Poison type, but still weakening him regardless… but Kakuna did not have the luxury of being able to defend herself, and was hit by the corrosive liquid, which signed her outer shell, drawing an horrified gasp out of Abelia!

"Damn, this isn't good…" Jonathan said… only for, one moment later, see the third Trubbish hit his Oshawott with a Tackle attack, sending the Sea Otter Pokemon tumbling on the ground! "Oshawott!"

"_I'm okay, Jonathan… these guys are a little tougher than I thought, though!_" Oshawott said as he picked himself up from the ground, and cast a worried glance at Kakuna. "_What's the matter with Kakuna, anyway?_"

"I… I don't know…" Abelia stammered, her usually aloof demeanor gone after her Pokemon had been hit by the acid. It was not hard to see why… Kakuna seemed to have been badly hurt by the attack, and the outer shell was showing some cracks here and there… "Oh, no… no, please… Kakuna, try to endure it… You aren't going to be done in by this, are you?"

"_This is bad… the acid seems to be eating through Kakuna's shell…_" Venonat said. "_If Kakuna hasn't developed enough by the time the shell cracks…_"

"Please don't say it!" Abelia screamed, in a sudden fit of hysteria, her hands plugging her ears. "Kakuna will pull through! I know she can! She has to!"

Jonathan grit his teeth, feeling Abelia's anguish by sympathy. Abelia was afraid that Kakuna might die, and he certainly couldn't blame her from fearing that… But the three bullies chuckled cruelly in amusement at the girl's sudden tantrum! "Hahahahaaa! Will you look at her! She's getting all worked up over that worthless shell of a Pokemon!" the blond bully laughed. "As if it really mattered!"

"Yeah… one has to be pretty crazy to care about a Pokemon that much!" Anthony stated. "By the way, guys, why don't we just put that stupid Kakuna out of its misery? Let's see if the girl cracks!"

It was the wrong thing to say.

As the three bullies laughed, Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon fell in a deadly silence, and the girl removed her hands from her ears and clenched them into fists at her sides.

"Will you… repeat that?" Jonathan growled in rage.

"Huh?" the blond guy parroted, as if he didn't understand the question. "What's up with that, rugrat? We just said it would be fun to just kill that worthless Kakuna just to see how hard your little friend cracks! I mean, if she cares so much about a worthless Pokemon like that…"

"Worthless? Did you just call Kakuna… worthless?" Abelia hissed. Jonathan almost flinched at the girl's tone – he had never seen her so angry before, and in fact, he didn't recall ever seeing her angry period!

Failing to pick up on that, the trio of delinquents chuckled again. "Yeah, we just did! Wanna make something of it, girlie?" Felipe asked, feeling confident now that their Trubbish were up and forming a barrier of sorts in front of him and his comrades.

"Actually… we both want to make something of it, scumbag!" Jonathan fired back. "Your kind is the kind I despise the most. People like you, who put down others and find pleasure in destroying for no reason at all… are trash! No, wait, I take that back! I could never insult your Trubbish by comparing them with you!"

"Heh… so, what are you going to do about it?" Anthony chuckled, still not realizing how he was playing with fire.

Jonathan and Oshawott exchanged an understanding glance… and Abelia and Venonat did the same thing as she moved in front of Kakuna in order to protect her… then, the young boy spoke. "Then… we're going to do this about it! Abelia, have Venonat use Confusion when I give you the order!"

Abelia frowned a little, but she was too worried and furious to ask for the reason behind that… so, she nodded and got ready. One second later, as the Trubbish began advancing yet again, Jonathan raised a hand and snapped his fingers, signalling to his Oshawott to attack!

"_Here we go!_" Oshawott squeaked, shooting the most powerful Water Gun he could manage… and Abelia's Venonat acted as well, sending a powerful Confusion attack at his enemies. The two attacks got close to each other and, one split second later, merged together under the disbelieving eyes of the trio of vandals, who could only gape, their eyes wide, as a huge, glowing sphere of water was formed and dropped like a cannonball on their Pokemon, exploding upon impact and sending drops of water everywhere, with the speed of an hail of bullets! The vandals screamed in surprise and anger as they backed away, and two of the Trubbish were lifted straight off the ground and slammed down hard enough to knock them out on the spot! A third one managed to get away and scampered to the side in an attempt to attack Abelia's weakened Kakuna, but both the girl and her Venonat saw that coming and turned around to deal with the threat…

"_Wait, Abelia! Let me take care of that!_" her Kakuna's buzzing voice interrupted, making the girl widen her eyes somewhat. The coccon-like Pokemon had actually spoken… and it was now scampering towards the enemy, even if her outer shell was damaged!

"What… what's she doing? That's too dangerous!" Jonathan exclaimed.

"Kakuna, don't do it!" Abelia exclaimed, her worry overtaking her again at the sight of her Pokemon marching straight into danger… but she was caught off guard once again when Kakuna's outer shell began glowing in a strangely familiar way, soon encompassing the Pokemon!

"_Don't worry for me, Abelia!_" Kakuna stated. "_Venonat and Oshawott have done their part in taking down the enemies… but now, let me handle it! I have a surprise here that will leave them stunned!_"

"What?" the girl exclaimed in wonder, understanding that, for the second time, her Pokemon was evolving! The light became blinding for a second… and soon after, a new shape began emerging from Kakun's figure, or rather, began coming out of the hollow shell that was her chrysalid! A huge wasp, half the size of a grown-up man, with huge, vicious-looking stingers on her front legs, large compound red eyes and a third stinger on its abdomen, emerged from Kakuna, her transparent wings spread out and ready to take flight with a thunderous buzz!

"Unbelievable! Now that is really awesome!" Jonathan exclaimed in joy and relief. "Kakuna has just evolved to a Beedrill!"

The newly-evolved Pokemon, for her part, was quite enthusiastic, and spread her wings while making a grandiose gesture with both her stingers. "_Aaaah, that's more like it! I'm telling you, it was just nasty to stay stuffed inside that narrow shell!_" she said, buzzing her wings for emphasis.

"Wow…" was all Abelia could say as she checked the new Pokemon on her Pokedex.

"_Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokemon. An aggressive Pokemon that lives in hives. Flies at high speed and uses its large venomous stingers on its forelegs and tail to take down prey._" The electronic encyclopaedia said, to which the bullies and their remaining Trubbish began backing away a little, having seen that things really looked grim.

"Where do you think you're going, you guys?" Abelia shouted at the trio. "You still haven't gotten enough paybak, so… Beedrill! Take that sack of garbage down!"

"_With pleasure!_" Beedrill buzzed. Oshawott and Venonat loudly cheered as the giant wasp took to the air and, before Trubbish could defend itself, swept down upon it and began hitting it furiously with both her stinger-arms, driving it backwards with every blow! Then, she flew upwards and dived down again, ready for another strike!

"_Amazing! That's one heck of a Fury Attack!_" Oshawott noted.

"Trubbish, don't let that thing get the better of you! Use Pound to knock it out!" the taller guy called out to his Pokemon, but it was too late. Even as the garbage Pokemon took aim to try and hit Abelia's newly-evolved Beedrill, the giant wasp swerved at the last moment and plunged upon the enemy, furiously striking it with the drill-like stingers on her forearms! The Poison-type Pokemon was hit again and again, and when Beedrill thought it was time to get it over with, she took some altitude and then swept down, striking with all of her three stingers at the same time. Finally, Trubbish was sent to the ground and fainted, leaving the bullies without any Pokemon!

"Well done, Beedrill!" Abelia cheered, a fist in the air, letting a glimpse of the happy little girl she once was seep through her aloof facade. Beedrill turned her way and nodded, with Jonathan, Oshawott and Venonat convinced they could see the hint of a smile upon the giant bug's mandibles!

"Well, that was really impressive!" Jonathan said. "And now, let's get back to giving these guys the what-for... hey! Where the heck do you think you're going, you three?"

Of course, the bullies were not happy at all about that sudden turn of events, and in their anxiousness not to get caught, they had decided to just leave their Pokemon to their fate, and make a run for it! However, as far as the two upstart trainers were concerned, they were not going to go anywhere...

"_Oh no, you don't_!" Venonat exclaimed, pointing his antennae at them. One second later, his Supersonic attack struck, in the form of a bunch of concentric circles that homed in on the bullies and hit them while their backs were turned! The effects were instantaneous: the three scoundrels let out a series of curses as their movement became awkward and random, before slamming against trees, rocks and other natural obstacles in a daze, knocking themselves out in a very undignified manner while Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon slowly approached them. Oshawott smirked, his eyes affixed on the three bullies lying on the mossy ground in a heap... and he and Jonathan exchanged a knowing glance, with the boy giving him a thumbs-up!

"You know what to do, Oshawott! Special treatment!" Jonathan said.

"_You got it, Jonathan_!" the otter answered... before shooting a weak, but still chilly, Water Gun in each defeated opponent's face, causing them to wake up with a start! Unfortunately, the effects of Venonat's Confuse Ray were still not over... and all of them found themselves helpless as Jonathan and Abelia got to them.

"Ugh... damn kids..." Felipe muttered. "What... what are you going to do now? You've beaten us, okay? What more do you want?"

"You know, if you hadn't been so cruel, we'd be content with just handing you to the Rangers." Jonathan answered,. "But I think you need some respect beaten into you."

"You've done a great mistake abusing Pokemon while I was there. This is one of the few things that can get my blood boiling." Abelia stated, her small hands tightly clenched into fists. "Shall we teach them some manners, Jonathan?"

"By all means, Abi!" the boy answered. He swiftly grabbed the taller boy and drove his right fist in his cheek, knocking him down again with a satisfying thud, while Abelia held up the blond bully and drove her right knee right between his legs, hitting a very sensitive spot and leaving the bully writhing on the ground, screaming in pain!

"AAAAARGH! Help me! Somebody help me, pleeeeease!" Felipe started yelling just then. Surprised, the two upstart trainers turned to the last remaining of the three vandals... and saw that someone has already beaten them to the punch in disciplining him! Abelia's Beedrill has gotten to him, and was now stabbing his buttocks with the stinger on her abdomen, making him see stars with every jab! "Please, please, let me go! I'll be good, I promise! AAAARGH!"

"_Didn't you and your friends suggest to kill me while I was still a Kakuna_?" Beedrill taunted. "_Sorry, I tend not to take kindly to that! Here you go_!"

And as Beedrill returned to her job of teaching some manners to the unfortunate brunet, Jonathan and Abelia turned to each other... and their confused stares soon turned into satisfied smirks!

"What do you say, Abi? Beedrill seems to be having a good time giving that guy what he deserves!" Jonathan stated.

The silver-haired girl nodded. "Yep... so, who are we to interfere in her fun?"

**oooooooooo**

A few minutes later, another Pokemon Ranger who had just happened to hear the commotion was on the place... and as soon as Jonathan and Abelia had explained to himhow things had gone, and what sort of people they had dealt with, the agent was more than glad to take the bullies in custody, where they could expect some fitting punishment to be handed to them.

"Well, kids... you've done a great service to the community by taking care of these scoundrels." the Ranger was saying. "We've been on their tracks for a while, but more important matters always distracted us enough that these three could always get away. You've done us good by taking them down."

"It's no big deal, ranger. We did what we had to do." Jonathan replied nonchalantly. "Just… make sure these guys are well cared for!"

"You got it, kid!" the ranger answered, as he tied the bullies' wrists in order to better be able to take them into custody. "We'll make sure that they can't harm any more Pokemon, by educating them like their parents didn't."

"That's good." Abelia answered. She seemed to have slipped back into her quiet, unassuming self, but Jonathan was still satisfied at having seen again her happier side. "I hope they can learn not to disrespect Pokemon and not to treat them like toys."

"Sure thing, kids… and by the way, I have to congratulate you, your Pokemon have been definitely well trained, for a couple of upstarts!" the ranger congratulated the two pre-teens, taking a glance at Oshawott, Beedrill and Venonat. "So, you're trying to become professional Pokemon trainers, huh? I wish you good luck then… it's not something that you see everyday, here in Oblivia!"

Jonathan rubbed the back of his head and smiled to his Oshawott. "Well… we'll certainly try to do our best, thank you very much!" he answered with a smile. "Okay, then… thank you for your help, ranger! Hope we can meet again someday!"

"Likewise, kids!" the ranger answered as he brought away the three troublemakers, who glared angrily at Jonathan and Abelia while they walked away. Abelia ignored them and simply waved at the ranger, while Jonathan took the time to turn to the bullies and stick his tongue out at them, his Oshawott doing the same!"

The blond vandal grit his teeth angrily. "I'll pay you back for this one day… I swear!" he threaened, but Oshawott belittled his hollow threats with a shrug of his small shoulders.

"_Yeah, sure… keep telling yourself that!_" the otter said, smiling proudly. "_For now, just enjoy your time learning how to be a better person!_"

Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon stood in their place as they watched the Pokemon Ranger walk away… then, the chestnut-haired boy sighed in relief and turned to his silver-haired friend, who glanced at him in curiosity and stood there for a few seconds before asking. "Hm? What's up, Jonathan? Needed to say something to me?"

"Nothing, really…" Jonathan answered with a wink. "It's just that… well, I was glad to see that you actually care for the Pokemon, and I was happy to see that you've changed your mind about it!"

Abelia's Beedrill and Venonat nodded at that, while the girl blinked twice… and then glanced aside, trying not to look embarassed. "Well… it was nothing special, really! I just did what anyone would have done in my place, anyway." She stated curtly, before turning to her Beedrill, who lowered herself to ground level and nodded to her.

"And… I couldn't allow my Beedrill to be hurt, anyway." She stated. "By the way, Beedrill… you did a great job back there! I'm proud of both you and Venonat!"

"_Thank you, Abelia! And I'm proud of having evolved and having been of help to you!_" the giant wasp stated, her wings beating rythmically with her words.

Abelia smiled and nodded… before turning to her friend, trying to appear as if nothing had happened. "Anyway… I guess we should be on our way now. Cocona Village is still some ways ahead of us, right? We'd better get somewhere to spend the night, before darkness falls."

Jonathan was a little surprised at first… but quickly shrugged it off, thinking that, after all, Abelia had moved a step in the right direction. It was all a matter of keeping at it…

"You're right, Abi! Let's go! Cocona Village is just waiting for us!" the brunet Water-type user stated, a few seconds before he, Abelia and their Pokemon were back on their way to the destination.

Taking care not to be seen by Jonathan, Abelia smiled slightly to herself. She had to admit, having done something good actually felt good… but she reminded herself that this was only going to be a once-in-a-while thing. For the moment, she was happy that the Pokemon of Teakwood Forest were safe and, above all, that Kakuna had evolved into a nice, powerful Beedrill. She could say he was satisfied with the outcome…

"I think we're on the right track…" Jonathan murmured to himself. "It will take time… but I'm sure Abelia will understand my point of view, eventually…"

**oooooooooo**

TO BE CONTINUED…


	5. Welcome to Cocona Village

**POKEMON: RISE OF THE YOUNG ADVENTURERS**

**oooooooooo**

**Welcome back, everyone! It was about time I got to work again on this story, right? It's just that many other things took precedence over this, and I endedup procrastinating... however, my new schedule should allow me to update my stories a little more frequently and regularily, so I think you won't have to wait this long for the next part to come!**

**Alright then... last time we had left Jonathan and Abelia continuing on their journey after Abelia's Kakuna had managed to evolve into a Beedrill, and after our two heroes managed to overcome a bunch of bullies who were making trouble in Teakwood Forest! It was a rather easy battle after all... but rest assured that things won't stay this easy forever, for our two aspirant trainers! New challenges await for them now, especially since their next stop will be Cocona Village, one of the most well-known urban areas in Oblivia... which isn't saying much, I guess.**

**What new challenges await Jonathan and Abelia on their way, and what will be the new Pokemon they will find on their way? And... will the Pokemon Pinchers show up again with some more of their minions? After all, our heroes are now in their crosshair... But for the answer to these questions and more, you'll just have to read this chapter and the ones that will come after it! We're getting to a new and important part of the journey in Oblivia, so... get ready for a bumpy ride!**

**Of course, if you would be so kind as to leave a review, it would be much appreciated!**

**Happy reading!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 5 - Welcome to Cocona Village**

A new day, a new destination for the duo of newbie trainers that had started their journey only a few days ago... at least, that was the general idea for Jonathan and Abelia as they had set out to reach Cocona Village, one of the most well-known residential areas in the whole Oblivia archipelago. Of course, saying this wasn't still going to be very much, considering Oblivia had never been known for hosting large cities or particularly active communities... Cocona Village, in fact, was little more than a group of wooden houses built around a large central square, surrounded by a peaceful-looking green forest and close to the clear blue sea. In the end, it was a small settlement of no more than a few hundred inhabitants, which should give anyone the idea of how loosely populated the whole region was. In fact, most inhabitants lived in fairly isolated houses, either on their own or in very small communities, and even a town as small as Cocona Village was rather hard to come by... and at the same time, it was something new and exciting for one half of the Pokemon trainer duo!

"Yaaaay! And here we are in Cocona Village!" Jonathan cheerily exclaimed, waving a fist in the air and he and Abelia approached the outskirts of the small community. "We did take a little more time than I expected... but it was well worth it! We've used the time to get a little more training... and now, we have all the time we want to look around and enjoy the city!"

Abelia sighed, looking rather unexcited about the whole deal. "Really, Jonathan... I don't see what the big deal is." she stated, using a delicate hand to brush away a fringe of silver hair from her eyes. "Okay, this is a large city for Oblivia's standards, I get it. I still don't see why it's supposed to be that special."

Jonathan sweatdropped nervously and turned to Abelia with an embarassed chuckle. "Er... sorry, Abelia, it was just for emphasis!" he stated. "But still, I think we will be able to find a lot of interesting things to do here! I mean, they probably have a Pokemon Center, and a Pokemon Mart in which we can buy some useful stuff for our Pokemon! Plus, I kinda get the feeling that we might find someone that needs our help! I, for one, would be happy to give it!"

"I should have expected that..." Abelia said with a shrug. "Still... I admit that I am a little curious about knowing what's so great about a city like this one... therefore, I guess we could take a look at it."

"Er... very enthusiastic as always, I see!" Jonathan said with some sarcasm. "Well then... let's go! I'm sure that, by the end of the day, we'll have found something to make the day unforgettable!"

With some hesitation, Abelia began folloing her best - and in fact, only - friend through the streets of the small town, which were in fact little more than unpaved, dusty roads that sneaked through the buildings, converging towards a large plaza in the very center of all the houses. Weeds and flowers spontaneously grew on the sides of both the streets and the buildings, and there was quite a bit of moss on the wooden walls as well, making the whole town look like it was rather close to nature. This impression was only helped by several Wingulls soaring in the skies above, and by the melodious calls of a few Flying-type Pokemon, mainly Pidgeys and Starlys, that were frolicking in the surroundings of the village. All in all, it looked like a rather comfortable place to live...

However, soon after they had taken their first steps inside Cocona Village, Jonathan and Abelia had found themselves under close scrutinizing by several of the inhabitants, who were just tending to their own business, but whose curiosity had now been aroused by the appearence of what looked like a couple of Pokemon Trainers - something Oblivia was quite short on! Soon, the young boy found himself followed by the eyes of several villagers... and Abelia, unused to such attention, walked close to Jonathan, clinging to one of his shoulders in order to feel reassured.

"I'm... not feeling at ease here, Jonathan..." she murmured, her eyes darting for a window to the other. "I feel like... everybody is watching us..."

"Yeah... me too..." Jonathan answered, privately thinking that Abelia's unusual appearence and clothing would have attracted attention anyhow. "I guess... these people really are unused to seeing a Pokemon trainer around here."

"Let alone two..." Abelia answered, before yelping in surprise as someone roughly bumped into her and almost knocked her off balance! As the silver-haired girl turned i that direction, she saw that it was a boy about her own age, with spiky black hair and a mocking smile on his face. It took no huge stretch of the imagination to understand that he had bumped upon her on purpouse.

"Why, hello, retard! Ever heard of shoes?" he said with a smirk, eyeing Abelia from head to toe, and pointing his eyes at her perpetually bare feet. Jonathan frowned and was about to fire some insults of his own to the guy, but Abelia held him back with a wave of he hand, and glared back at the street urchin.

"Pleased to meet you, jerk. Ever heard of minding your own damn business?" she deadpanned. This had the effect of actually shocking the street kid into shutting up, and at that, Abelia simply turned away and began walking away, nose in the air. Jonathan blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the fact that Abelia could have such fire in herself. However, the scene that had just played in front of himself caused him to chuckle in amusement and fire a scathing remark at the one who had just tried to insult Abelia!

"Well, looks like you just got burned, pal!" he said with a slight smirk. "What can I say, can't win them all, huh?"

With that, the two of them walked away, leaving the other boy behind them in complete disbelief. In a few minutes, both Abelia and Jonathan had reached Cocona Village's main plaza, and were taking a look around in order to get a better understanding of what the town was like. In fact, the central part of the city wasn't really anything notable, excluding a strange wooden platform that had been built upon the unpaved ground, and upon which a strange multicolored symbol had been drawn, resembling nothing so much as a large, stylized bird of prey with multicolored wings. For being one of the largest cities in Oblivia, Cocona Village sure didn't look like anything to write home about. The only thing that the two aspirant trainers were noticing was how the people living there were still staring supiciously at them.

"Yeah... they just don't look like they're used to seeing Pokemon trainers." Abelia said, staying close to Jonathan in uneasiness. She had imagined that being in a large city for the first time would have been awkward for her, but she had no idea she would have felt so ill at ease.

"Abelia... I think we should just stay here as long as it's necessary, and then go away. I'm afraid that trainers like us aren't seen in a very positive light!" Jonathan proposed, while he and Abelia continued looking for what could conceivably pass as a Pokemon Center. Finally, the two aspirant trainers happened upon a building with the trademark insigna of a Pokemon Center placed right above the main door, and quickly entered there, finding themselves in an environment that had little in common with the relatively simple coziness of therest of the village: while small, the Pokemon Center was certainly well-equipped with top of the line machinery, and it was plain that it was working very well, in spite of the fact that there were so few trainers... clearly, it was also used for the everyday emergencies, such as Pokemon getting hurt in some job.

As the two pre-teens entered and looked around in curiosity - in spite of the fact that Abelia would have stubbornly denied anything like that - they were greeted by a pretty teenage girl in a white and pink nurse dress, with pink hair tied in a pair of ring-shaped braids, and a white hat with a first aid symbol drawn in front of it, standig behind a desk and working at a strange-looking machine that Jonathan immediately identified as one of the machines used to heal Pokemon. The pink-haired girl bowed slightly to the two children, motioning for them to come in. "Good morning, and welcome to Cocona Village's Pokemon Center. You seem to be travelling trainers... that's something we don't see very often around here."

"Well... you're correct, we started our journey only a few days ago... and we were looking for a place where we could start seriously training our Pokemon!" Jonathan said with a small smile, as Abelia reciprocated the nurse's greeting with a slight nod. "We thought this could be a good place to start looking, so... here we are!"

The nurse smiled at them in return. "Well, you've had a good idea. Cocona Village is one of the largest cities in Oblivia, and I'm sure you'll find plenty of opportunities to start your training in earnest... though I'm afraid a lot of people here aren't very supportive of aspirant Pokemon trainers..." she mused out loudly. However, she cleared her throat and introduced herself. "By the way, my name is Joy, and I'm a Pokemon Nurse, though I have been trained in human medicine as well. If your Pokemon need rest, I can heal them for free!"

"Hmm, well... that's a nice service you're providing! Our Pokemon would certainly need some rest right now... we've come a long way since we've started our Pokemon journey, and our Pokemon kinda need some R&R!" Jonathan said, as he took his Pokeballs out of his belt and handed them to the kind pink-haired nurse, who accepted them and placed them inside the machine. Abelia did the same with her own Pokemon, and as the healing machine began doing its job, letting out a low buzzing sound, Joy decided she might as well spend some time chatting with the two aspirant trainers. After all, it was a rare day in Oblivia when one came across a couple of serious trainers...

"Oh, think nothing of it!" Joy stated. "While we wait for your Pokemon to be healed, why don't we do some chit-chat and small talk? You know, I'm kinda curious to know who you are, and why you've started this Pokemon journey. We don't have many serious trainers around here."

Abelia sighed in exasperation. She wasn't exactly in the mood of talking about herself to a complete stranger, even though Joy at least looked like the decent sort. Jonathan, for his part, wasn't this reluctant, and sat down near the counter to speak with her. "Oh, I will be glad to! I always like getting to know new people! C'mon, Abelia, sit down as well! I think this might be interesting!"

"If you say so..." the silver-haired Bug-type lover murmured tiredly, sitting down right beside Jonathan. She lightly grabbed his shoulder with one of her delicate hands, as if she wanted to feel his closeness and be reassured that he'd be there...

"Anyway... yes, we come from... rather average families, I guess you might say!" Jonathan started, being careful to leave out the part about Abelia's parents having passed away... "My name is Jonathan, and my parents are historians who have often taken me with them in their expeditions all around the continent. I guess... I picked up my love for Pokemon from that! It was during an expedition to an historical site that... well, I ended up meeting an Omanyte!"

"Really? An Omanyte?" Joy asked, clearly in wonder. "Wow, and here I thought Omanytes had been extinct for ages! To think that there still are some around... it just boggles my mind!"

Jonathan chuckled gently. "Yeah... I love Water-type Pokemon, but most of all I love prehistoric Pokemon... anyway, I and my friend Abelia here," he motioned to Abelia, who simply nodded her head. "we saw that there is no serious Pokemon organization here in Oblivia, apart from a few scant Ranger guilds... therefore, we thought that if we started our Pokemon journey, and made our name known in other countries as well, we might be of help in getting Oblivia to have its own Pokemon League... and to pull its weight with regard to other countries as well! Plus... I think becoming a trainer will help me find a few more of hose prehistoric Pokemon I love so much! Ideally... I would love to discover a new species of Pokemon that will be remembered forever!"

"My, my, that's quite an interesting idea you have! I wish you luck!" Joy exclaimed, clasping her hands together. "And what about you... Abelia, was it? What's your reason for starting your own Pokemon journey?"

"I guess you could say... I am trying to find out what I really want to become in the future." the silver-haired girl answered with a shrug, looking like she didn't really care about that. "Though, if we are to become well-known trainers... we kinda need to find a way to train our Pokemon, and we are looking for a place to do exactly that."

"That's what I was going to say..." Jonathan answered, nodding to Abelia as a way of thanking her for explaining. "So, we were wondering... where do you think we could find a place to start our training?"

Joy rubbed her chin with her index finger as she tried to gather her thoughts. "Hmm... now that I think of it, I guess there is somewhere you could look." she answered. The medical machine stopped with a loud beeping sound, and the Pokemon nurse took the Pokeballs out of it and handed them back to their respective trainers. "Here you go... anyway, as I was saying... there's this place where you could start looking for occasions to both make your name known and get some great training for your Pokemon! I guess you've been to the Rainbow Dais... I mean, the square in the center of this town, right?"

"Yeah, of course..." Abelia answered. "What about it?"

"You see... every year, the Rainbow Cerimony is held in that place. It's a very important occasion for all the citizens, and we all have to do our best not to mess it up... but as of late, strange events have begun happening, and there is a distinct possibility that the cerimony might be ruined." Joy explained, trying not too successfully to hide how worried she was. "For example... the Pichu that was supposed to play the ukulele at the cerimony has somehow lost his instrument... and several of the Pokemon who were to perform this year have vanished without a trace. We suspect... that a new criminal organization, only known as the Pokemon Pilchers, is at fault here."

That name immediately perked up Jonathan and Abelia's attention, and they looked at each other in surprise. There was no mistake, they had already heard that name before! "Them again? And here I thought they were a bunch of good-for-nothing pushovers... but it seems they've gotten themselves quite the rep here!" Jonathan answered.

"I take it, you're familiar with those criminals, huh?" Joy asked while Jonathan and Abelia put their Pokeballs back in their place.

"Somewhat..." Abelia said, her fingertips rapping the desk. Jonathan could tell that, behind her calm facade, his friend was seething in anger... "We have met two of them while we were going through Rasp Cavern... they challenged us to a Pokemon battle, and we won. But... I thought they were nothing but a bunch of troublemakers, so I didn't think much of them. Until now."

"In fact, they are quite the dangerous organization..." Joy answered. "They are ruled by a mysterious group called the Societea, and they have their hands into quite a few criminal endeavors, especially Pokemon kidnapping and theft of historical artifacts. We have no idea what their plans really are... and we don't know where they're hiding, it's like they were living under a rock! Anyway... we are sure it was them who tried to sabotage our annual Rainbow Cerimony, and we need some strong and capable trainers to track them down and recover what they've stolen from us. Do you think you're up to the task?"

"Of course we are!" Jonathan impulsively answered, before Abelia could voice her opinion. The girl in the white sundress slapped a hand on her forehead and grumbled something in a low voice, finding herself once again roped in a situation she would've rather stayd out of. "We just need to know where can we start searching, and I'm sure we can find a way to return the Pokemon and all the rest to you guys!"

"Guess refusing isn't an option, huh?" Abelia murmured. "Hmm... fine, I'm in as well. But I'll make this clear, I'm only doing this because Jonathan is in, and because I would very much like to start seriously training my Pokemon... I don't really care for this Rainbow Cerimony, or whatever it is."

"Abelia, please!" Jonathan repriminded her. "Er... I apologize on my friend's behalf, Abelia can be a little hard to get along with, at times... Anyway, we're game, and we can start looking whenever you want! Our Pokemon have been well rested, right?"

"Yes, indeed!" Nurse Joy answered with a wink. "Okay then, if you really want to help us out with this problem, you might want to speak to our local carpenter and boat-builder, Arley. He has a better idea than I do about the place where the Pokemon Pinchers might have hidden themselves. You can find him in his house, just on the opposite side of the Pokemon Center! He's kind of a gruff person, but I'm sure he will be glad to help you in the end!"

"Alright, we'll pay him a visit! Thanks for the info!" Jonathan answered, giving Joy a thumbs up and Abelia nodded reluctantly. "Okay, then... let's go, Abelia! I'm sure this will be a roaring success!"

"Sigh... good to see you're hyped up about this, Jonathan..." the girl murmured as she stood up for her seat. She couldn't help but feel something terrible was going to happen to Jonathan...

**oooooooooo**

A few minutes later...

Jonathan cleared his throat and gently knocked at the door of a large wooden house, with several instruments such as hammers, axes and nails affixed on the wall right beside the entrance. It was clear that it was the laboratory of a carpenter, seeing as there were quite a few half-finished wooden works orderly placed upon some shelves, right under a dirty window on the same side of the house as the door, and a tooth-sawed blade was lying close to a wooden chair on their right. Jonathan and Abelia stepped away from the door as they waited for anyone to answer them... and soon after, there was a loud clicking noise, and someone peeked out from the door.

"Hmm? What manner of green rookies do we have here?" a thundering, gruff voice asked from inside the house, scaring Jonathan somewhat. When the man completely opened the door, both the young man and his silver-haired friend were quite impressed at his appearence: he was a tall man of considerable age, with somewhat long greying hair flowing out of a green cap on his head, and his eyes were grey and tired-looking... but for some reason, it was still possible to see a spark of energy in their depths! He was also wearing a green shirt with yellow trimmings on the neck and sleeves, darker green pants and a pair of heavy black shoes, other than an orange silk belt tied around his waist. He was obviously past his prime... but even a single glance at him would ensure that this was a man who meant business, and that while he seemed bulky and overweight, quite a good part of his physique was composed of muscles. All in all, he cut quite an impressive figure. "Meh, what do you know. Been some time ever since someone new showed up around here. What are you brats doing here?"

"Er..." Jonathan found himself a bit at a loss for words, and cast a quick glance to Abelia in order to get an idea of what to say. "Well, we were told to comesee you for... er... what happened recently with the Pokemon Pinchers, sir. We're two Pokemon trainers, and we've started our journey only a few days ago... we were looking for a chance to start serious training and make a name for ourselves... and so, here we are! We thought we might as well help you catching the Pokemon Pinchers, Mr. Arley..."

Abelia stood in silence, trying not to look intimidated by this imposing man, who continued glaring at them suspiciously, as if he wanted to be sure they were not pulling his leg. Finally, after some moments in which Jonathan couldn't tell whether Arley was just appraising them, or simply scorning them, the carpenter frowned and began speaking again. "Hmph... make a name for yourselves, huh? That's pretty much what every trainer wannabe around here wants to do. They usually give up in a few days or so, and believe me... that's better for everyone!" he said, as he kept his hard, steely eyes affixed upon Jonathan and Abelia. When the two surprised children remained in silence, Arley placed a closed fist on his hip and stared at them even harder, as if he was trying to scare them away. "Kids... do you happen to know that the world we live in isn't exactly a safe place? That wild Pokemon and outlaw gangs can be incredibly dangerous? And that every year many trainers are injured during their journey, and among these, several are forced to give up their quest, and a few even lose their lives?"

Jonathan and Abelia were taken aback by that unexpected barrage of rhetorical questions, and for a few moments, they both were unable to form an answer... at least before Abelia of all people cleared her throat and put up her hands in an appeasing gesture. "Well... we can't say we really knew about all that, but it's not like we were going into this blind!" she stated, taking a Pokeball out of her backpack. She snapped it open, and her Venonat jumped out of it, placing himself protectively in front of her. "We have already faced two of those Pokemon Pinchers we heard about, and our Pokemon have already faced quite a few opponents... we aren't completely green, you know!"

"_That's true. I can attest to their skills._" Venonat answered, gently waving his antennae about. "_Sure, we don't have a lot of experience, but I'm sure we can take those Pokemon Pinchers without much trouble._"

Arley carefully examined the hairy bug Pokemon. "Hmm... your Venonat does seem to know his stuff, little lady." he said, softening up somewhat. "And if you say you've already gotten some experience with these scoundrels, then you must be somewhat good. Fine then... I guess it wouldn't harm if I took you two kids with me. But be warned, we're pretty much going to face the Pokemon Pinchers in their home turf, Dolce Island."

That name seemed to jog Jonathan's memory. "Hmm... Dolce Island, you say? I thought there were no humans living there, just Pokemon..." he answered. "So, you say that the Pokemon Pinchers have estabilished a base right there?"

"That would be a great place to put up a secret base." Arley went on. "Very few humans ever go there, and that's where the Pokemon Pinchers can continue their illegal operations without attracting too much attention. I'm sure the Pokemon that have been kidnapped, as well as Pichu's ukulele, are all there!"

"Then, we'll just need to get to Dolce Island in some way, and..." Jonathan began to say, only to stop himself at the last moment as he remembered something strange. "But, hold on a second. What do you mean, a Pichu with an ukulele?"

"He's quite a celebrity around here!" Arley answered, finally allowing a small smile to break through his stoic, stern facade. "There's this Pichu that lives in this village, and spends a lot of his time playing the ukulele, and trying to get people to stop and listen to him... he was supposed to play his ukulele again as part of the celebrations, but this theft has thrown our plans in disarray."

"_Yeah, that's true!_" a squeaky, sweet voice answered from behind Arley. The large man quickly turned that way, and both Jonathan and Abelia followed the direction he was pointing to... just in time to see a cute little Pokemon scurrying out from under a table: it was a small rodent with shining yellow fur and a pair of long, pointed ears with black tips, along with a few more black markings on its neck and tail. His cheek pouches were round and pinkish colored, and his nose was extremely small and looked like a black dot. Curious to know what kind of Pokemon that was, Jonathan brought out his Pokedex and scanned the little creature.

"_Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokemon._" came the voice of the electronic encyclopaedia. "_Despite its small size, its cheek pouches contain enough electrical power to shock an adult human into paralysis. However, it is not yet skilled at storing electricity, and when startled, it may discharge power accidentally._"

"A Pichu, huh? Looks like a baby form of a Pikachu, now that I look at it..." Abelia commented. Privately, she couldn't help but think that the small Electric-type Pokemon was quite cute, and the way Pichu was now getting close to them, almost begging them to retrieve what had been taken from him, did tug at her heartstrings...

"_Please... we need help to save this year's Rainbow Cerimony!_" the Pichu squeaked gently. "_It's a very important event for us all, and if it was ruined... it would be a sad blow for Cocona Village. I can see you are both kind people, and I know I'm kinda asking for a lot of you, but please... will you help us?_"

"Okay, I think we've gotten the gist of it..." Abelia answered with a sigh. Once again, she had to give in... "Sounds quick and easy enough, after all... so, we need to get to Dolce Island and find the scoundrels who have kidnapped the Pokemon and stolen your ukulele, right? Well, then... I'll do my best to help out. As for Jonathan, well, guess you already know the answer, right?"

"Fine..." Arley murmured, as the two beginning trainers and Abelia's Venonat stood in front of him. "I think you might help me out, anyway... and three heads are better than one in any event. You can come, but never stray too far from me, and don't go around looking for trouble. I ain't gonna rescue the rescuers, ya know."

"Er... fine, you don't need to worry about us!" Jonathan answered, as he rubbed the back of his head in embarassment. "By the way... in order to reach Dolce Island, we probably need a boat, right? Do we know where we can find one?"

This time, the large man and the small Pichu looked at each other with a knowing smile on their faces, and chuckled softly, confusing Jonathan and Abelia a little before Arley turned to them once again. "Kids... who exactly do you think you're talkin' to? I'll have ya know, I am both a carpenter and a lumberjack, so I know a thing or two about building boats, don'cha think so? Anyway, I have a boat almost ready for use. If you're patient for a couple hours, I can get it ready and we can be off to Dolce Island!" he answered. "Of course, don't think I'm getting you off the hook just because you're kids! You're expected to do your part and row!"

Caught off guard by this revelation, Jonathan, Abelia and Venonat sweatdropped, before the young boy let out a sheepish chuckle. "Well... I didn't really expect this, but hey... If we have to do this, we have to do this... right, Abi?"

The sundress-wearing girl had a small vein pop up on her forehead from the frustration. "You and your hero syndrome, Jonathan... I swear, you're going to drive me crazy with that!" 

**oooooooooo**

Some time later, a rather large wooden boat, roughly painted in white and red, with a large man dressed in green and a couple of unusual-looking kids on board, was on its way to Dolce Island, under a warm afternoon sun. Jonathan and Abelia, who were not used to such physical efforts, were holding one row each and putting all of their strength into that particular one... but even so, the travel had been slow, even with Arley rowing along with them for all he was worth. Luckily, Dolce Island was not that far away, and soon enough, the boat was able to land upon a sanndy beach, where Arley and his young friends proceeded to hide it among some jagged rocks close to the seashore.

"Okay, kids, we've gotten to Dolce Island!" Arley commented, showing Jonathan and Abelia the place. "Well, what do you think? There's a reason this is considered one of the greatest wonders of nature in the world!"

Jonathan whistled as he looked around the place: in fact, it was a really spectacular place, with a beautiful sandy beach lapped by an equally immaculate blue sea, and surrounded by a multitude of spectacular palm trees and exotic vegetation and flowers, all contributing to making the place look pristine and untouched by the hand of man. Several Pokemon were frolicking around, filling the air with their calls or splashing around in the sea. The place was so quiet and wonderful that it was hard to imagine the Pokemon Pinchers were hiding somewhere in the vicinities... or maybe, Abelia thought with a frown, that was exactly the reason why those criminals were trying to hide themselves there. Dolce Island was a rather wild and isolated place, after all, and no human beings lived there permanently... so, it was easy to imagine that the Pokemon Pinchers had chosen that place as an hideout.

"This place is awesome! I had no idea there could be such a beautiful beach... so close to where we used to live!" Jonathan exclaimed enthusiastically. "Okay... anyway, I guess we need to get a move on and look for these Pokemon Pinchers, right? Where can we start?"

Arley called for the children to stay close to him, and pointed to a lush forest not too removed from the beach. "I think that could be the best place to start looking for." He said after clearing his throat, while at the same time grabbing a Pokeball from a pocket in his trousers. "It's close enough to the beach, and this jungle looks intricate enough that few would try looking for them there. By the way, I think you might want to let your Pokemon out, you will probably need their help soon enough."

Jonathan and Abelia nodded to each other and extracted a Pokeball each. "Okay... in this case, Venipede... please come out!" Abelia exclaimed, tossing the Pokeball corresponding to the strange Bug / Poison type in the air. One second later, the green armored bug appeared in front of the girl, letting out his high-pitched call.

"_Here I am, Abelia! I'm ready for some action!_" he exclaimed, wiggling his antennae above his head. The girl smiled slightly and bent down to scratch Venipede on his head, as if he was some kind of kitten or puppy!

"Your friend here sure has weird tastes when it comes to Pokemon..." Arley commented, to which Jonathan smiled and shrugged.

"Oh well... I kinda got used to Abelia's quirks by now!" he answered. "And I'm sure this would be a great place for training my latest Pokemon... okay, Poliwag, you can come out!"

Again, Jonathan's Pokeball flew, and soon enough, another Pokemon joined the fray - the strange tadpole-like Pokemon that Jonathan had caught at the start of his and Abelia's journey. As Poliwag let out its call, Arley nodded to himself and opened up his own Pokeball as well, letting out a tough-looking humanoid Pokemon with grey skin, a purple nose and pink vein-like protrusions extending from the front and lower parts of his head, as well as pink bands around his shoulders and thighs. It was carrying a large timber in his arms, holding it as if it weighed nothing at all, and his face sported a cocky smile.

"Hmm... now that's a Fighting-type Pokemon, I guess!" Abelia said, while she consulted her Pokedex in order to see what kind of Pokemon that was. It only took a second for the electronic device to retrieve the necessary data and start the explanation.

"_Timburr, the Muscular Pokemon. These Pokemon are known for appearing at building sites in order to help with construction. They always carry heavy wooden logs, and when they can lift them with ease, it is a sign that they are close to evolving._"

"Hmm... well, in fact, that's a kind of Pokemon I can easily see helping out in a carpenter's place." Abelia commented to herself, while giving a good glance at the short Fighting-type Pokemon, who nodded andgave her a thumbs-up while resting his wooden log on his shoulder.

"_Yeah, it's a job that seems to be made for Pokemon like me!_" Timburr stated, winking cockily to the silver-haired girl. "_Arley works pretty hard, and I'm always glad to lend him a hand! Now... I just hope you guys will be able to keep up with me!_"

Jonathan's Poliwag frowned at what he perceived as a challenge. "_Oh, you bet we are! Why don't we make a bet? The one who can take down the most enemy Pokemon will have the other pay tonight's dinner! Is that a deal?_"

"Wh... What? Hold... hold on a second, Poliwag!" Jonathan exclaimed, another sweatdrop pouring down his head! "I hadn't even said anything whether I wanted to make a wager or not! Ugh... this is going to suck, I'm sure of it..."

"Hey, I thought I was the complainer here..." Abelia said in a sarcastic tone.

Arley cleared his voice, ending the soewhat awkward moment. "Ehm... anyway, kids, we might want to hurry this up and find the Pokemon Pinchers' hideout before night starts to fall, or we might have some problems. Those scoundrels know very well how to move at night, and would get the jump on us no problem."

"Understood..." Abelia said, while she, Jonathan and their Pokemon began following Arley and his Timburr towards the jungle. "Do you think they might already have their eyes upon us?"

"You never know how things are with those people." the carpenter / lumberjack answered. "We might want to keep our guard up and be ready for anything they might throw at us."

Poliwag nodded. "_Of course... but I'm sure we will be able to take them down! I'm just itching for a chance to show those jerks what's what!_"

"And you will get it soon, Poliwag!" Jonathan chided him. "We all will, don't worry!"

**oooooooooo**

"Boss, do you have a moment? We have some important news!"

A couple of Pokemon Pinchers grunts had quickly entered a small office carved inside solid earth, in what seemed to be an underground shelter of sorts, in order to give their boss, a rather shadowy-looking individual with messy green hair and a black patch on his left eye, some rather unsettling news. Looking a little annoyed at the fact that his moment of peace and quiet had been ruined, the mysterious guy, who was wearing a rather elegant uniform similar to the one worn by the rest of the grunts, sighed and motioned for his underlings to go on and say whatever they needed to.

"Hmph... it better be good news, though... I was just enjoying a moment of peace, and here you come annoying me with your prattle..." he murmured in an annoyed tone. As he raised his head, his minions could see his eyes, flashing a spectacular yet frightening emerald green. "Alright then... what is it?"

The other grunt cleared his throat. "Well... to be fair, Master Green Eyes, the news are quite unsettling..." he stated. "It seems that some trainers from Cocona Village have arrived, and they seem to be looking for our hideout and the Pokemon we have taken from there! There are two kids, probably two upstart Pokemon trainers... and a pretty tough-looking guy!"

Green Eyes stood in silence for a moment, seemingly undaunted. "Hmm... is that so? Two upstart Pokemon trainers, that's not something you see everyday..." he murmured to himself, before smiling threateningly at his minions. "Fine then... try to capture those kids, if you can do so without much trouble! Maybe, if we can convince them to join us, they'll be a gret asset to the Pokemon Pinchers!"

"Yes, sir! Right away!" the two grunts answered, saluting Green Eyes before getting out of the office...

**oooooooooo**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Author's Note:** Sorry for not having written much of a chapter, this time. I had to rush things for motives that had nothing to do with my will, and the result is this short chapter - which I think is also rather subpar... But anyway, rest assured that the next one will be a lot better! And there will be a lot more action in it, as the heroes once again cross the Pokemon Pinchers' path! So, stay tuned, and see you next chapter! 


	6. Clearing The Pinchers

**Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**Hello, everyone! As you can see, this fanfiction is on the road again! I had hit a serious snag in the writing, but now I am ready and willing to continue it and tell you more about the adventures of the perky Water-type enthusiast Jonathan, and his reclusive best friend Abelia while they try to carve their own place in the history of Oblivia... and now, our friends have taken a trip to an island very close to Cocona Village, in order to pay a small visit to the Pokemon Pinchers, and give them the what-for for messing around with the village's Rainbow Cerimony. It won't be as easy as it might seem though: an important member of the organization, one Green Eyes, is waiting for them, and you can be sure that he won't spare any attempt to take down our bold kids, and their newfound ally Arley. Not to be confused with May's flamboyant rival from the Hoenn saga of the anime...**

**Which means that there will be a battle very soon! The newformed team has just arrived in Dolce Island, and they are now making their way to the Pokemon Pinchers' hideout, with some of their Pokemon by their side. Will they manage to defeat the Pinchers and save Cocona Village's traditional celebration? Well, in order to know the answer, all you have to do is read the chapter, right? **

**Please, read and review! I'll try and make sure you won't have to wait that long for my next update, even though real life sometimes gets in the way of many of my projects.**

**See you guys soon!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 6 - Clearing the Pinchers**

"We've been walking around for a while now, and still no trace of the Pokemon Pinchers." Abelia said nonchalantly as she looked here and there to see if there were any possible threats around. Dolce Island, however, seemed to be completely deserted at the moment... only the shrill chirping of the Kricketots, and the occasional call of a Wingull, a Zubat, or another nocturnal Pokemon showed that the island was still inhabited... and the sky was already darkening, showing that nighttime was fast approaching. "I think we're wasting our time here. If we really need to find those idiots, we probably need to look somewhere else. Maybe in the interior of the island?"

"Well... I think Abelia is right. We've been looking around, and found no trace of those guys." Jonathan answered as the small team walked along a narrow road slithering among huge bushes and tropical plants. "Maybe, if we were to change approach, we'd be a little luckier."

"_I'm just itching for a chance to double-slap those guys silly!_" Jonathan's Poliwag commented cheekily. However, Arley and his Timburr seemed to reccomend to be more prudent, and proceeded to caution the younger trainers about the dangers of running ahead.

"Hold on, kids, and just be patient." Arley said. "Those guys are probably trying to buy time and observe us... and I wouldn't be surprised if they already knew some of our strengths and weaknesses. It would be best if we were careful and watched our backs..."

Abelia's Venipede suddenly raised his antennae, and widened his eyes, emitting a short, surprised screech. Immediately, the whole team stopped and began looking around, understanding that the armored bug was trying to warn them against some sort of danger. "Venipede? What's up?" Abelia asked as she tensed up. Jonathan and his Poliwag looked up, towards a rather tall cliff close to them, and both Arley and his Timburr took a guarding stance, with the Fighting-type Pokemon holding his club tightly in his right hand.

"You have traspassed into our territory." a clear male voice said, coming from the closest cliff, and belonging to a mean-looking person dressed in a way that was oddly familiar to Jonathan and Abelia: he looked like an explorer, dressed in neutral green-and-brown clothes, and holding a Pokeball in his hand. Several other people stood close to him, wearing similar clothing. "You are therefore asked to turn away and not come back again here. Refuse to do so, and we will resort to more extreme measures."

"Those uniforms... they're the same of those two guys we fought in Rasp Cavern!" Jonathan noted, while his Poliwag aggressively swept the ground behind himself with his paddle-like tail. "They must be the Pokemon Pinchers... how come did they take so long to show up?"

"Don't know, don't care." Abelia said with a shrug. "All I care about is that they're here. We kick their butts, we have them confess where their hideout is, and we take back the kidnapped Pokemon. Easy as pie."

"_You heard the answer, jerks!_" Venipede yelled to the Pokemon Pinchers grunts. "_We have come here to rescue the Pokemon you kidnapped, and to teach you a lesson you will never forget! So, move it or we'll make you move!_"

Arley smirked, already admiring the sheer guts of the Bug / Poison-type. But sadly, the Pokemon Pinchers didn't seem to be impressed, and decided to switch to more aggressive measures.

"Suit yourselves." the man said, before motioning for his men to attack. Several of them threw their Pokeballs, and Pokemon of all kinds popped out of them and took formation in front of the three trainers in a threatening gesture. With a quick glance, Jonathan was able to see that there were quite a few different types in the enemy squad: Geodude, Bellsprout, Rattata, Patrat... and even a particularly large and wily-looking Purrloin, who seemed to be leading the charge. "Take out those fools, everyone."

"_Hmm... I can see you're not going to play by the rules._" Timburr said, jauntily throwing his club in the air and catching it with just one hand on the way down. "_Not problem for me, I can take you all!_"

"_You are not about to hog all the fun to yourself, are you?_" Abelia's Venipede stated, scuttling at Timburr's side with deceptive speed. "_We are here to help too!_"

Jonathan's Poliwag was ready to fight as well. "_That's right! So, bring it on, you clown, I'll be ready for everything you might possibly do!_"

The enemy Pokemon were now close to them, and leapt to attack! Venipede found himself under attack from a fierce-looking Patrat, who tried to use a Bite attack on him... but the rodent's fangs bounced harmlessly on the bug's armored hide, leaving Venipede unarmed. A second later, a sharp stinger hidden between two plates in Venipede's armor stung Patrat in the shoulder, and the Normal-type staggered backwards, and fell to the ground, looking drunk.

"Idiot. He didn't even think about my Venipede's Poison Point." Abelia murmured, shaking her head. "Hey, Venipede, you alright? That Patrat did bite you pretty hard."

"_Nothing my armor can't handle._" the venomous bug answered, before turning to the stunned Patrat. "_Hey, wise guy... next time you face a Venipede like me, think twice about striking head-on. A direct attack might leave you poisoned, just like now._"

"_Uuuugh... I'll try and remember that..._" the prairie dog-like Pokemon murmured in a daze.

Jonathan and his Poliwag, for their part, were facing a Geodude and a Sentret - respectively, a Pokemon that looked like a small boulder with arms and a face, and an egg-shaped rodent that stood up on its tail. The tadpole-like Pokemon was holding his own rather well, and Geodude quickly went down under a well-placed Water Gun attack... but Sentret proved to be a much tougher opponent than Jonathan anticipated, mostly because of its Quick Attack, that was able to outspeed Poliwag and hit him before he could defend himself. With a sudden lunge, the rodent struck Poliwag with his claws, scratching him and causing him to stagger backwards... and Jonathan, fearing for his Pokemon's safety, decided it was a wiser choice to recall him and send out another Pokemon to fight.

"Man, this isn't good... Poliwag, return!" the young boy exclaimed, recalling Poliwag in his empty Pokeball. The tadpole Pokemon scoffed a little at the idea, but complied, while Jonathan quickly produced a new Pokeball and tossed in the air. "Your turn now, Omanyte! Show 'em what you're made of!"

"_Churning waters and solid rock, of course!_" the prehistoric mollusk joked, appearing in front of Jonathan in a flash of light, and then motioning for Sentret to come at her with one of her prehensile tentacles. "_So, what's the matter with you guys? Aren't you going to face me? I'll have you know, I am pretty imaginative when it comes to working with my tentacles!_"

"Gah! Did you really have to say that, Omanyte?" Jonathan lamented. "I think I'll have to take some brain bleach to clear that image off my head..."

With a sudden blast of speed, Sentret dashed towards Omanyte and tried hitting her with a Scratch attack, but his claws screeched harmlessly on the shellfish Pokemon's rock-hard shell, causing Sentret to bounce backwards in annoyance... and fall victim to a well-placed Water Gun from Omanyte herself, that knocked the squirrel-like Pokemon on his back and left him stunned.

"_Meh. I may be an old-timer, but I still know my stuff!_" Omanyte stated, before turning to face more Pokemon that were coming her way. "_What, still up for more? Geez, youngsters these days..._"

"What are you talking about, Omanyte? You were born only a few years ago yourself!" Jonathan exclaimed in exasperation. He wished his first Pokemon was a little more serious about such things... but considering Omanyte was already doing a good job clearing up the Pokemon Pinchers' troops, he guessed he couldn't really complain too much.

However, it was Arley's Timburr the one who was doing the better job of it. The small but powerful Fighting-type seemed unstoppable, whirling his wooden beam around like a club and knocking out several Pokemon who dared approach him. A mean-looking Raticate dashed at him, trying to bite him with his sharp incisors, but Timburr managed to intercept the huge rat and hit him with a Rock Smash attack, knocking him backwards!

"_Alright, big boy, come and get me!_" Timburr exclaimed, twirling his wooden beam around like a baseball bat. "_There's more where that came from, if you still want to eat dust!_"

"_Don't worry, I'm not hungry!_" Raticate growled angrily, before Timburr dashed at him. In a flash, Raticate disappeared right under the Fighting-type's eyes, catching him off guard, and a split second later, Timburr flinched as he was hit by a couple of powerful blows from a seemingly invisible assailant, knocking him down! Soon after, Raticate reappeared in the position he had been standing on, and smirked at the Fighting-type. "_So... how do you like my Sucker Punch attack? It allows me to anticipate any attacking move and strike back before I can even be hit!_"

Timburr quickly picked himself up, grabbed his wooden club again, and cracked his neck, while Arley did not seem to be bothered in the least by the attack that had just struck his Pokemon. "Well, that was rather impressive... but as a Dark-type attack, Sucker Punch isn't exactly very effective on Fighting-type Pokemon! Come on, Timburr, show him you're tougher than this!"

"_Of course I will!_" Timburr exclaimed, while Raticate lunged at him again in an attempt to use a Crunch attack. With surprising speed and agility for a Pokemon like him, Timburr turned around and sidestepped the Crunch attack, causing the huge rat-like Pokemon to close his incisors a few inches away from his arm. Then, using his free hand, Timburr delivered a devastating Brick Break attack on Raticate's back, and there was a loud snapping sound as the chopping motion hit the huge mouse on its back, causing his eyes to snap open and crumble to the ground powerlessly. "_Hm. Not that much to write home about, after all. Guess the others have already done their share, right?_"

"I'd say so, Timburr." Arley commented as he looked around. Jonathan and Abelia were doing a good job clearing up the Pokemon Pinchers on their side, alternating attacks from each other's Pokemon, and punching holes in the enemies' ranks. Omanyte and Venipede were now facing a Woobat and a Buizel respectively, with the prehistoric mollusk executing a flawless Rollout attack by retreating into her shell and barreling over Woobat at high speed! Venipede, for his part, used a Protect move to dodge a powerful Aqua Jet attack from the orange otter-like Pokemon, before striking back with a powerful Bug Bite attack which left him sprawled powerlessly on the cold, hard ground!

"Good job, Venipede... but let me help you out a little!" Abelia exclaimed, taking out another Pokeball from her bag. "Let 'em have it, Beedrill!"

"_Good! I was just getting restless, Abelia!_" the gigantic hornet buzzed, her wings droning noisily as soon as she took flight in front of his trainer. A Mothim, a Bug-type Pokemon looking like a strange butterfly with a black and red body, red eyes with small black pupils, and yellow-orange wings, fluttered in front of her, its whole body glowing eerily in the twilight. "_Ouch... not a Confusion attack already!_"

"Dodge that with Double Team, Beedrill!" Abelia exclaimed just in time. The hornet-like Pokemon seemed to split in two, and managed to dodge the attack just in time before it hit. The discharge of glowing blue psychic energy went past Beedrill and dissipated harmlessly in the distance, while Beedrill swept down on the butterfly-like Pokemon. "And now, Beedrill, strike back with Fury Attack!"

"_Already on it, Abelia!_" Beedrill buzzed, before unleashing a flurry of stabbing attacks on the opponent, hitting him with all of his power. Mothim flinched and retreated in an attempt to defend himself from the relentless onslaught, and his trainer managed to sneak an order in.

"Mothim, don't get careless!" the Pokemon Pincher exclaimed. "You can take that oversized gnat down! Use Protect yourself!"

As Beedrill tried to close the distance and usea Poison Sting attack on Mothim, the huge butterfly Pokemon created an energy barrier in front of himself and deflected Beedrill's stingers, before launching himself at the huge bee and striking her with a Tackle attack. Unfortunately for him, Beedrill wasn't harmed all that much, and managed to stop Mothim by encircling his body with his spear-armed forelegs, before taking altitude and dragging Mothim along with himself!

"_What?_" Mothim exclaimed, furiously beating his wings in an attempt to escape the lethal embrace. "_Let me go, you stupid oversized yellowjacket!_"

"What are you waiting for, Beedrill? Just do what he asks, right?" Abelia said nonchalantly as the huge butterfly still tried to get free. "I think an Aerial Ace would do, don't you think so?"

"_Oh, sure! No problem about it!_" Beedrill answered. With the greatest of ease and the grace of a garner, the huge yellowjacket soared up, and then dropped down, releasing her hold on Mothim and then slashing him with his twin stingers on the way down. The butterfly yelped in ain and was tossed on the ground, stunned by the stinger blow, augmented by the velocity of the Aerial Ace attack... and one second later, the butterfly-like Pokemon fainted and remained on the ground, his compound eyes turned into spirals.

"_This is how you do it! Learn from the best!_" Beedrill boasted, turning her glance to Abelia, who smiled faintly and gave Beedrill a thumbs-up.

"Fine then... Omanyte, I'm sending help your way!" Jonathan exclaimed with a small smirk. "Oshawott, come out! We need your help too!"

The cute otter-like Pokemon popped up in front of Jonathan and grabbed his trusty scalchop, twirling it in his tiny hands with unsuspectable skill. A Roggenrola, a strange Pokemon that looked quite like a spherical dull grey stone with tiny legs, a crest on its top, and an eye-like formation in its center, tried to blindside Oshawott and hit him with a powerful Headbutt attack... but the otter managed to dodge in the nick of time and struck back, trying to hit the weak point in Roggenrola's body. "_Hey! We're kinda impatient to get our butts kicked, aren't we? There you go! Razor Shell!_"

The brave Water-type Pokemon slashed with his scalchop, and managed to hit Roggenrola, causing the Rock-type Pokemon to stagger for a short while... but soon after, it recovered and fired a volley of rocks at Oshawott, who widened his eyes in surprise and swerved away at the last moment, barely managing to avoid the blow. "_Gah! You sure don't do things by halves, huh, rocks for brains?_"

"Oshawott, you don't use a physical attack on a Pokemon like a Roggenrola!" Jonathan exclaimed at the top of his voice. "His hide is just too thick to be pierced... you need to use a special attack to really damage him!"

"I'm not going to let you do that!" Roggenrola's trainer exclaimed. "Roggenrola, attack that critter with Smack Down!"

"_Sure!_" Roggenrola answered in a gravelly voice that sounded like stones scraping on each other. "_There you go!_"

The stony Pokemon fired a round pellet of stone from its mouth, and struck Oshawott on the head, stunning him for a moment and sending him sprawling on the ground, before trying to close the distance and hit him with an Headbutt as he was trying to get up... but the otter-like Pokemon rolled away just in time and used his scalchop to deflect the blow, executing another Razor Shell attack that, while not doing much damage to the stony monster, still managed to throw it off long enough for Oshawott to recover and use a new attack.

"Well done, Oshawott!" Jonathan cheered. "Now... seal the deal with Water Gun!"

Oshawott smirked and shot a powerful blast of water towards Roggenrola, managing to hit the Rock-type head-on! This time, Roggenrola's incredibly tough hide proved useless against a Water-type special attack, and the stony Pokemon was sprayed by a powerful blast of water and dropped on its back, remaining on the ground with what could have passed for a stunned expression on its "face".

"_That will teach you, rocks for brains!_" Oshawott said cockily, tossing his scalchop in the air and grabbing it on the way down. Around them, the Pokemon Pinchers had seen that the battle was lost, and were now recalling their Pokemon and beating an orderly, but still hasty, retreat.

"Let's pull out, everyone! We've done enough for now!" the same grunt who had been leading the charge exclaimed. "We have weakened them enough... the boss will take care of the rest for us!"

"Hold on a second, there!" Jonathan exclaimed. "The boss? Who are you talking about? He's the guy who ordered you to screw up Kokona Village's festival, isn't he?"

"Why don't you go see him and verify by yourself, little kid?" a grunt taunted him as he recalled his own Pokemon, a mean-looking Snubbull, in his Pokeball. Soon after, before Jonathan and his companions could do anything to stop them, the Pokemon Pinchers had already run away, leaving the two upstart trainers and their temporary companion alone in the clearing, catching their breath.

"Phew... that was rather intense!" Arley commented. "Those younglings sure are no fools... and they said we will have to deal with their boss, huh? Kinda makes me want to go there and punch that guy in the face!"

"_I'm afraid it won't be that easy..._" Timburr commented, checking himself to see whether everything was alright. "_Hey, kids... are you alright? You were doing a good job fighting off those goons there!_"

"We're okay..." Abelia answered, as her Venipede climbed on her shoulder and remained there, his myriad legs clinging to his trainer. Beedrill lowered himself to Abelia's side and stood there, sharpening his stingers on each other.

"It was a little harder than we thought, but we got them... for now, at least." Jonathan commented, giving both Omanyte and Oshawott a pat on the back. "You guys alright? It was quite a fight you put up, that's for sure!"

"_Oh, they were a bunch of young and impressionable beginners! We didn't feel the need to go all-out on them!_" Omanyte joked, using one of her tentacles to exchange an high-five with Oshawott.

Jonathan smirked confidently. "That was an excellent job, guys!" he stated. "Now all we have to do is find their boss and kick his ass! So, where could that guy be hiding?"

"Sigh... please, Jonathan, don't go around being a fool, okay?" Abelia said with a sigh. "It will be enough of a problem to find where this guy is hiding, without you giving away our position to the whole Dolce Island!"

"_I don't think there will be a problem, Abelia!_" Beedrill exclaimed, taking some altitude once again. "_I can follow those guys we just fought from a safe distance, and they'll guide us to their hideout, and to all the Pokemon and the tools they stole!_"

"Good thinking, Beedrill!" Jonathan said, giving a victory sign to the giant yellowjacket. "We'll have those guys give away their own position, and take us to their boss... and then we'll kick his butt!"

"I'd advise you to be careful about that, though... you are enthusiastic, young man, but you are not taking into account that you are dealing with a bunch of criminals here." Arley warned him. "It wouldn't be strange if they were actually allowing you to follow them to their base... where they have a trap or an ambush set up and ready. Do not go there without making sure you are ready for everything."

"_Is that so?_" Oshawott said with a frown, as Jonathan and Abelia looked at each other in wonder, reflecting on the older man's words. Now that they thought about that, they had to admit that Arley had a very good point. "_Well... Jonathan, Abelia... I think Arley is right, we might want to be careful about that. Beedrill, you go try to find out where the enemies are hiding. We'll be waiting for you here and work up a plan in order to catch those guys off guard. We definitely don't wanna walk into a trap._"

"Right..." Abelia said, gently stroking one of Beedrill's arms with her dainty hand. "Beedrill, be careful... try to keep a safe distance, and try to come back as soon as you can!"

The gigantic wasp did a salute with one of her drill-arms. "_Will do, Abelia! Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!_" she buzzed, before taking to the air and starting to follow the Pokemon Pinchers. Venipede nodded as he watched Beedrill soar in the distance, then turned to Abelia and rubbed Abelia's shoulder with one of his legs, reassuring her.

"_Don't worry, Abelia... Beedrill knows what she's doing! She will certainly be back safely!_" he stated, with the silver-haired girl nodding in assent, and Jonathan placing a hand on her shoulder, his eyes affixed to the point where Beedrill had disappeared to.

**oooooooooo**

"Hmm... I see... so, it seems those two trainers are nothing to sneeze at." Green Eyes, the leader of the Pokemon Pinchers HQ on Dolce Island, said to himself after taking a good look at the images flashing on the screens in front of him, showing how Jonathan, Abelia and Arley were taking down his minions. There was something almost admirable in the way those children were giving it their all, happily meddling in grown-ups' business without a care in the world... that, and the fact that very few people in Oblivia ever became Pokemon trainers made him think those two were worthy of respect.

Of course, not that this was going to stop him from trying to defeat them and getting them away from interfering with his organization's plans. They had gone quite far already, and he was not about to let the plan fall apart because of a couple of young upstarts. "Fine then... I'll try and take care of those kids myself. They'd better not expect to have as easy a time as they had with my minions... I have already gotten an idea of how to work around their strong points."

Snapping his fingers, Green Eyes called a Pokemon Pincher grunt at his side, and as the grunt bowed respectfully, he gave his orders. "Have the evacuation ready in case the battle does not go well for me, and make sure all the artifacts we gathered are on our main ship." he stated calmly. "We need to make sure our work does not go to waste."

"Of course, sir." the grunt answered. "What are we to do with the Pokemon we captured?"

Green Eyes thought about it a little. "They could be useful for our plans, that much I can agree with... but to be fair, at this point, they will probably end up being an hindrance if this base were to fall. Plus, we can easily catch other Pokemon to substitute them - it's not like we can't find Pokemon who are equal to them or even better. Well then, just let them go. We have bigger things to worry about, and I'm sure Kokona Villagegot the message that they should not mess with us."

"Understood, sir." the grunt saluted and went back to his job, as Green Eyes took a Pokeball out of his belt and stepped towards the door. A glint of maliciousness flashes through his uncovered eye as he adjusted his green trenchcoat, spinning a Pokeball in the palm of one hand.

"As for me, I'll see whether those kids are really that strong... or if they only got a lucky fluke." he stated criptically.

**oooooooooo**

Sitting down on some bare rocks in the clearing where they had fought the Pinchers, Jonathan and Abelia were still waiting for the girl's Beedrill to return from her recon flight, and Abelia was now absent-mindedly moving the leaves lying on the ground with the tip of one of her feet, silently hoping that her first evolved Pokemon was going to return safe and sound. Arley and his Timburr, for their part, stood in silence, standing guard for anything the Pokemn Pinchers might have tried to do.

For several minutes, the small team stayed like this, waiting for good news to arrive... and finally, they did arrive in the form of a loud buzzing sound that had Abelia spring to her feet and look upwards, followed soon after by her Venipede, who shook his antennae and his tails in excitement, recognizing that buzz despite the fact that only a short time had passed ever since he had heard it for the first time. "_There she is! Beedrill is here!_" the armored bug exclaimed.

Abelia smiled in relief and Jonathan gave a thumbs upwhen the buzzing sound got louder and the huge wasp gently lowered herself towards the ground, greeting the team with a wave of her drill-arm. "_Here I am, everyone! I took a good look at where those guys were hiding... and I can take you there in a snap!_" she buzzed happily.

"Awesome! Good work, Beedrill!" Abelia exclaimed, in a rare moment when she showed actual, genuine happiness. However, she soon turned back to her serious, aloof self and nodded to herself, kneeling slightly so that Venipede could easily skitter from her shoulder to the ground. "Well then... let's work up a plan to catch those guys by surprise. If we are lucky, we will be able to clear them up and recover what was stolen from Cocona Village!"

Arley seemed to think about it for a moment, then turned to Abelia's Beedrill. "Okay, Beedrill... can you give me a rough idea of what the entrance to their HQ is like? That way, we can think up a better plan."

"_Sure, no problem about that._" Beedrill answered. "_From what I was able to see, the entrance to their place is nothing more than a large tunnel dug inside the rock of a tall cliff, hidden behind a series of large tropical bushes. Which would be a good place for an ambush._"

"Yeah... we need to think of a way to approach that place without being seen..." Jonathan murmured to himself. "Does any of you have an idea on how to do it?"

"Actually, I think I already have some." Arley answered with a sagely nod. "It will takesome skill and subtlety, but I think we can take them."

**oooooooooo**

Some time later, the trio had managed to reach the place Beedrill had seen the Pokemon Pinchers disappear into, unimpeded by anyone. Which, in Arley's book, was already a sign that their enemies had laid a trap for them - it was just too good to be true. Right now, the team was hiding in the thick bushes close to the cliff Beedrill had flown to earlier, and Abelia's Venonat was carefully peeking out of their hideout, seeing a rather large opening in the tall cliff. There were no guards around, and there didn't seem to be traps around anywhere... but now that the upstart Pokemon trainers had gotten Arley's warning, they knew it was not necessarily a good thing.

"_There seems to be no one around... it's like they're purposefully letting us through._" the furry Bug / Poison type commented, waving his short antennae around in order to ascertain whether what he was seeing was what they were getting. "_Still, I have this uneasy feeling... I can feel the presence of several people around here, and I don't think they're around here to sightsee._"

"Your Venonat's right, kiddo." Arley said. "Remember, Dolce Island was never a place where humans went that often, and Pokemon always considered this place as a safe haven for themselves only. If there are so many humans around, that can only mean those Pinchers are still around and are preparing a nasty surprise for us."

"Still, we have to go forward and face them, if we are to help Cocona Village." Jonathan answered. "Mr. Arley, do you have any idea what we should do in case there's a trap waiting for us beyond that opening?"

The older man thought about it for a while, with his Timburr staring at him in the hopes he could come up with an idea to allow them to get inside the Pokemon Pinchers' HQ without undue risk... and soon after, Arley smirked slightly to himself and nodded, having just had what could be a good idea. "Listen, kids... I'm willing to bet my shoestrings those guys have left a trap right beyond the entrance to catch you all off guard. Therefore... well, let's not disappoint them, right?"

That had the team puzzled, and Jonathan's Oshawott scratched his forehead in a clueless manner. "_Huh? I'm afraid I don't get it. How are we supposed to do this? Are you suggesting we actually fall into that trap?_" he asked. "_And if we do that... how are we supposed to get out of this place alive?_"

"Patience, young 'uns, patience. I wasn't done explaining my idea." Arley answered, before taking a look at Abelia's Venonat. "Hey, girlie... your Venonat can use some Psychic-type attacks, right? I know this kind of Pokemon learn Confusion pretty early."

Abelia and Venonat looked at each other for a moment, trying to guess what the man was hinting at. "_Well... I do know the Confusion attack, and with time, I'll get to learn even powerful attacks such as Psybeam or Psychic. But how are they going to be useful here... oh, wait! I think I have half an idea!_"

"What?" Abelia asked. "What do you mean? How are your Psychic-type attack going to save us from... whatever trap those scoundrels have set up?"

"_Remember, Abelia... my eyes can see much better than a normal human's._" Venonat explained. "_If I go forward in that tunnel, I stand a better chance of seeing the traps before you do, and if I can see where they are, I can use my psychic powers to activate the switches... without us being in the danger zone!_"

"Why, that's actually a pretty clever idea!" Jonathan exclaimed, slamming a fist in the palm of his other hand. "Alright then, we can go with that. Thanks for helping us out, mister!"

"Heh. Just be glad I've got a bit of a soft spot for youngsters like ya." Arley answered gruffly. "You struck oil this time, kiddos, and I was itchin' to give some payback to those Pokemon Pinchers scoundrels... but remember, you ain't always goin' to have someone else ya can count on. I know you two wanna become Pokemon trainers, which is somethin' you don't see every day in this place... so let me give ya an advice, and try to become as skilled as you can, as quickly as possible. The world of Pokemon hides a lot of dangers... and many trainers start their journey without really understanding what is it they're getting into. Make sure not to fall victims to your own naivete."

"We... we will make sure of that, Mr. Arley." Abelia answered. "I guess... we hadn't really thought much about that, when we set forth."

"Hey, we can still remedy that, right?" Jonathan asked. "As soon as we take out these Pokemon Pinchers, we'll take our time training our team and making sure we strengthen our teams... and perhaps we'll catch a few more Pokemon as well."

"That's a good idea, kids. But remember that it's not just the number of Pokemon you've got or how strong they are that counts." Arley answered with a nod. "The most important thing is, how deep the bond between you and your Pokemon is. Remember, Pokemon aren't weapons to be used against your enemies. They are living, breathing, thinking creatures who have much to offer to us humans, and they are our companions, not our slaves. This is the most basic thing a Pokemon trainer should remember... and anyone else who lives along with Pokemon, for that matter."

"We know that... and we will do our best to make sure other people know this as well." Jonathan said gently, scratching his Oshawott behind hie ear. Abelia, for her part, was affectionately stroking Venonat's fur, causing the Bug / Poison type to move his antennae from one side to the other in satisfaction. Satisfied that everything was under control, the young boy nodded to the silver-haired girl, and they both stood up. "Okay then... we get in there, take out the traps, and find their boss. Then we kick his ass. Sounds simple enough... so, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Way ahead of you, Jonathan." Abelia said, taking the first step out of their hiding place as they got to the opening in the cliff. The girl let her Venonat go forward, and the hairy gnat quickly skittered forward and took a peek inside the natural tunnel... only to motion for the rest of the team to follow him inside as he was sure that there was no menace in sight.

"_There seems to be nobody here as well, guys... we'll press forward and see if there are any traps around._" Venonat stated with a short sigh. "_If you're all here, we can go!_"

"_Everybody ready, Venonat!_" Oshawott said. Venonat nodded and began advancing in the tunnel, his compound eyes scanning every single place in order to spot anything that might have been suspicious. Taking extreme care, the team went forward still, until the light of the entrance was gone in the distance, and their path was only illuminated by a few lamps hanging to the walls. The silence was eerie and disquieting, only interrupted by their steps on the levigated stone floor... and nobody dared to speak, for fear of distracting Venonat and causing him to miss a small, vital clue.

Finally, after what looked like an eternity, the furry gnat halted in the middle of the path and waved his antennae, signalling for the rest of the team to stop... and as soon as they did so, Venonat pointed to what looked like a completely empty section of corridor directly in front of them. The Bug / Poison Pokemon emitted a Supersonic attack, sending a series of inaudible waves at the corridor, frowning slightly when his acute hearing perceived something off in the echo. He then carefully approached the place he suspected, and concentrated briefly, sending a Confusion attack at the floor.

"_Well, looks like he did find a trap of sorts..._" Timburr stated, carefully watching the hairy bug at work. Under the pressure of Venonat's psychic powers, the floor actually seemed to recede, revealing a pressure panel rigged to go down as soon as something heavy enough stepped upon it! Immediately after, a mechanism activated, and another panel slid open in the ceiling, dropping a large, yet incredibly tight, net upon anyone who might have been under the place! Which, luckily, meant nobody at that particular moment. Venonat jumped away in order to avoid getting caught, but he was already far enough that the net posed no threat to him. The net quickly clung to the ground via a series of small hooks lining its sides... but all members of the small team were far away, and quite safe!

"Phew! We would probably have fallen for that trap, had we simply gone forward..." Jonathan commented with a relieved sigh. He approached the net and examined it by touching it with his fingertips, which revealed to him that it was made in iron-hard fibers! "Wow, and this net is pretty resistant too! We would have been in a bit of a pinch if we had been caught by that! I sure am glad we had Venonat to help us out... thanks, little guy, I owe you one!"

"_Oh, don't mention it..._" Venonat waved it off modestly. "_Rather, we need to be careful still. That might not have been the only trap around..._"

"He's right. We have no way of knowing what lies ahead." Arley answered. "Keep doing what we've done until now, though, and I'm sure all will be okay."

"I guess so..." Abelia murmured as the trio of trainers, along with their respective Pokemon, continued on their way, sidestepping the net before walking through the corridor and getting deeper and deeper inside the cave. Venonat was still monitoring the place with a combination of his keen eyes and his Supersonic attack... but this time, there didn't seem to be any more traps, at least until the corridor finally exited in what looked like a large reception, decorated with lavish furniture and an elegant carpeting, whose walls in white marble tiles seemed to almost gleam under the artificial lights hanging from the ceiling. Shielding their eyes from the intense light, Jonathan and Abelia entered the room with extreme care... only to find themselves in front of a tall, fierce-looking man wearing an elegant dark green trenchcoat and heavy boots, stending in front of them with two Pokemon at his sides - one of them was some sort of a strange plant with a yellow bell-shaped body and a wide gaping mouth with pink lips, no arms nor legs, and green, razor sharp leaf-like appendages acting as limbs; the other, a white mushroom-like Pokemon whose cap greatly resembled a Pokeball, and whose white stem-like body sported stubby, digit-less arms, a large pink mouth, and pinprick-like dark eyes. A little farther away stood four grunts, two male and two female, all of them dressed in the adventurer-like neutral clothing the upstart trainers had seen on the other members of the organization!

"Oops... guess this is the welcome commitee..." Jonathan murmured. "And... those two Pokemon would be?"

He and Abelia took out their Pokedexes and pointed them at the Pokemon standing near the leader, and the electronic devices quickly began talking in their electronic voices. "_Weepinbell. The Flycatcher Pokemon. Armed with razor-sharp leaves, it uses toxic pollen to immobilize its prey, after attracting it with a sweet-smelling acid. Its neutralizing fluid prevents Weepinbell from falling prey to its own acid._" Jonathan's Pokedex said.

"_Foongus, the Mushroom Pokemon._" Abelia's Pokedex went on. "_It lures people in with its Pokeball pattern, then releases poisonous spores. The reason why it resembles a Pokeball is unknown._"

"Well, well... I can see you're quite well-equipped." the man in the trenchcoat said, passing a hand through his messy green hair that made his head look almost like a bush. "And you managed to avoid the trap I set for you, quite ingenious on your part. I can see you've got potential, so... allow me to introduce myself. My name is Green Eyes, and I'm an Admin for the Pokemon Pinchers. I have been waiting for two skilled upstart trainers like you two."

"Green Eyes?" Abelia fired back annoyedly. "Yeah, sure, pleased to meet you. Should we be honored you set up such a welcome party for us?"

"_Ouch!_" Oshawott lamented, shaking visibly at the sight of the two Grass-types close to the Pokemon Pincher Admin. "_Careful, Abi, you don't wanna piss off the guy who has two Grass-types at his back and call._"

Green Eyes, however, did not seem to take offense at Abelia's sarcasm. "You've got fire in yourself, young girl... I like that in a potential minion! You two have definitely got the skills necessary to aspire to greatness within our organization, and it would be a crying shame to waste such great prospects as you... therefore, I thought you would appreciate if I gave you a chance to surrender to us, and join our ranks!"

"What?" Jonathan exclaimed in outrage. "What are you on, you weirdo? Why should we join you?"

"It's all pretty simple, actually..." the green-haired Admit went on. "We, the Pokemon Pinchers, are one of the elite secret organizations in the world of Pokemon trading and collecting... and if you joined us, you two would have the chance to acquire a lot more Pokemon... rare and powerful ones at that! You would soon number among the greatest Pokemon trainers ever to live... and that's not even talking about the real goal our organization has... something so huge you wouldn't even imagine it! If you want to realize your potential as trainers, and climb to the top of the world... the Pokemon Pinchers are really your only logical choice! So, what do you say?"

Arley was about to step forward and yell at the kids not to fall for the man's flattery... but when Jonathan tightened his fists and shouted at Green Eyes, he was glad to see that there was no reason to be alarmed. "You think this is a funny joke, huh? You guys say you have a good goal and all, and yet you steal Pokemon and mess up Cocona's traditions with your criminal acts! How stupid do you think I would have to be to fall for your tricks!"

"Yeah, the same goes for me!" Abelia answered curtly, nodding to her Venonat, who simply smiled at her. "I will become the best Bug-type trainer in the world, and I don't need you to hold my hand about that!"

"Well said, kids..." Arley answered.

Green Eyes shook his head in mock sorrow. "Is that so? Such a shame... I thought you were smarter than that, kids... oh, well, guess I'll find someone else who is as capable as you are. You two... aren't indespensable to us. Therefore... everyone, take these rugrats down and get their Pokemon!" he said, motioning for his men to attack as Venonat got on the defensive again, and Oshawott grit his teeth in nervousness while Grenn Eyes' Foongus slowly started crawling towards him...

**oooooooooo**

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	7. Green Eyes

**Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**oooooooooo**

**Hello, everybody! Looks like I'm back! Man, I just can't seem to keep up with my schedules, do I? Well, in any case... this fanfiction is back, and hopefully that means it's going to continue for quite a while. At least, I am giving you one more chapter to read, and hopefully I can churn out another soon enough, but hey... enough of my rambling, and let's get on with the story! JOnathan and Abelia are now facing the first of a long series of important battles in their path to become the best trainers in the history of Oblivia, and their opponent is now Green Eyes, the first of the enforcers belonging to the mysterious criminal organization known as Pokemon Pinchers. His Grass-type Pokemon will be a problem, at least for Jonatha's disadvantaged Water-types... but we all know that Pokemon battles aren't just about type matchings and things like that!**

**Therefore, everybody, buckle down and get ready for some serious action! Our bold heroes are facing an important battle, and are taking their first steps to greatness... or making their early plunge into defeat. How will it go?**

**Thanks for staying with me for such a long time, whether for good or ill, and... enjoy this chapter! I hope I did a good enough job of it!**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 7 - Green Eyes**

"Well, now this is a bit of a mess, I'm afraid..." Jonathan murmured nervously, glaring at the two Grass / Poison types inching towards them. Not that he was really afraid, but he knew enough of type matchings to know that a Grass-type had a pretty big advantage against his Water-types... sure, Abelia might have fared a bit better, but all things considered, this guy looked like he was a far cry above the other Pokemon Pinchers in terms of skills. THis was going to be a serious battle, and they were going to have to use all of their abilities to come out on top.

"Foongus... start out by using Ingrain!" Green Eyes ordered his mushroom-like Pokemon. Foongus replied by extending a few tentacle-like roots from the bottom of his body, and plunging them in the bare rock in order to draw nutrients from the earth. His Weepinbell unsheathed his leaves, which produced a disquieting cutting sound... and soon enough, Weepinbell unleashed a flurry of razor-sharp leaves that flew unerringly towards Oshawott and Venonat!

"_Cripes!_" Oshawott exclaimed. Acting on instinct alone, the cute otter drew his scalchop and began swinging it around in order to intercept the Razor Leaf attack, managing to take out several of the projectiles before the last one nicked him in the side, causing him to drop on one knee. "_Argh! Jonathan, this guy is something else!_"

"_I'm having some trouble myself..._" Abelia's Venonat chirped. With a well-placed Confusion attack, the hairy bug managed to fend off the Razor Leaves heading for him, but he was left unprepared for a Cut attack that the carnivourous plant followed up with, slashing with his leaf-hands and knocking Venonat to the ground.

"Venonat! Be careful!" Abelia exclaimed in alarm. The two Pokemon quickly stood up and got back on guard, to which Green Eyes shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, you two aren't people who get intimidated easily, that much I have to give you." the Pokemon Pinchers enforcer admitted. "But that is the extent of what I'm willing to give you. Now, Weepinbell... attack with Acid! Foongus, use a Faint Attack!"

The carnivorous plant shot out a dense, sticky purple liquid that clung to Oshawott and caused the sea otter to cry out in pain, while Foongus vanished from everybody's sight and suddenly reappeared on Venonat's side, hitting him with a powerful and swift attack that sent the Bug / Poison time tumblng to the ground. Jonathan winced in sympathy pain, but soon managed to regain his wits and counter. "Oshawott, use Water Sport to wash the acid away!" he ordered, and his starter Pokemon quickly aimed upwards and sprayed a gout of clear water in that direction, causing the water to come down upon him like a rainpour and wash away the stinging acid.

"I've had enough of staying on the defensive!" Abelia affirmed. "Venonat, use Confusion to swat that Foongus away!"

"_Just what I was planning to do anyway!_" Venonat answered. The Bug / Poison type concentrated again, and a pulse of psychic energy erupted from his hairy body and struck Foongus head-on, causing the mushroom Pokemon to be uprooted and to fly a short distance away! He quickly planted his roots again and began drawing nutrients from the earth, but his confidence had been shaken up at least a little.

"Good! That's what I like to see!" Abelia said, allowing herself a small smile.

Green Eyes, for his part, did not look the least bit impressed with his opponents' skill. "Well, I suppose you aren't too bad, for a couple of beginners." he commented icily. "But you still have no idea what you are getting yourselves into... and if you insist, I will be more than glad to provide you with more prof that you are outmatched. Weepinbell, use Stun Spore on that Venonat. Foongus, continue with Faint Attack."

Jonathan widened his eyes for a moment, surprised at the fact that both opponents were concentrating on Abelia's Pokemon instead of dividing their attacks... but he couldn't do anything before the bug-eating plant sprayed a cloud of fine golden spores ijn the air, which flew over to Venonat and fell over his body, causing his movements to become stiff and sluggish. The silver-haired girl grit her teeth in alarm, knowing that her Pokemon had been paralyzed, effectively ruining his speed. Venonat was then sneak attacked by Foongus, who once again vanished within plain sight and

"Darn... Venonat, are you okay?" she asked, but it was clear by the way Venonat was kneeling on the ground that the Bug / Poison type had seen better days. With an effort, he was able to pick himself up and stand on guard again, but it was becoming difficult for him to do so. Abelia crossed her fingers and hoped the next attack would be enough to take down Foongus... but before she could issue another order, Ingrain took effect again, and the mushroom-like Pokemon regain some of his lost energy.

"Hey, wise guy... you are not forgetting about me, are you?" Jonathan exclaimed, as his Oshawott followed up with a powerful Tackle attack to Weepinbell, sending the venomous plant tumbling on the ground. Hissing in anger, Weepinbell turned around and attempted a Vine Whip attack, catching Oshawott's scalchop in his grasp and trying to yank it away from the sea otter's grasp. Oshawott yelped in surprise and began pulling his weapon-wielding arm back, in an attempt to keep his beloved scalchop.

"_Oh no, you don't, you big dumb vegetable!_" Oshawott exclaimed, and gave a second, stronger pull towards himself and actually managed to make Weepinbell lose his balance and stagger forward. This time, Green Eyes actually frowned in displeasure... which turned into complete shock as Oshawott took a running start and jumped towards Weepinbell, weilding his scalchop as a sword of sorts! A multicolored aura followed the trail drawn by the razor-sharp shell, and Jonathan quickly knew what to do...

"What? How can this be?" Green Eyes exclaimed.

"Well, I'm not sure myself... but I sure as Hell ain't gonna look a gift Rapidash in the mouth!" Jonathan cheekily answered. "Oshawott, strike him down with Fury Cutter!"

"_No! Stop it..._" Weepinbell began to rant angrily, but Oshawott landed upon his body and slashed once with his shell, penetrating the Grass / Poison type's defenses and actually doing some damage! Weepinbell screeched in anger and pain, and convulsed fiercely in order to get rid of that irritant, but Oshawott held tight to the creature's vines and stood unflinched upon his body, before slashing again! This time, the blow looked like it had gotten stronger, and Weepinbell was left to gasp breathlessly for a couple of seconds.

Venonat, for his part, was trying to keep up with Foongus... but because of the paralysis his opponent had put upon him, this was quickly turning out to be a much tougher fight than anticipated. Foongus' Faint Attack had hit again, bypassing all attempts made by Venonat to protect himself - no matter what the bug tried to do, Foongus would disappear, and then reappear close to him, striking at such an angle that Venonat was not able to protect himself. Seeing this, and finding herself unable to think of a way around, Abelia was beginning to feel anxious once again, much like in the forest, when she was facing those bullies who were putting her Kakuna's life in danger!

"Venonat... don't take this laying down! There must be something you can do!" Abelia exclaimed, more forcefully than she probably intended. The Bug / Poison type grit his mandibles in distress, and launched himself at Foongus, hitting him head-on and staggering him for just a couple seconds. Venonat tried to concentrate again and launch another Confusion attack, which would hopefully have taken down Foongus, but the mushroom-like Pokemon was faster than Venonat anticipated, and managed to attack again. This time, he took a sudden step forward and hit Venonat with what, for all intents and purposes, looked like an invisible blow coming from nowhere! The weakened bug-like Pokemon flinched, and that gave Foongus another opening, which he used for yet another Faint Attack. For a moment, Venonat looked like he was going o collapse, but managed to stay upright through sheer willpower. "VENONAT!"

"Silly little girl. As you can see, even with your type advantage, your Pokemon are losing... and while your friend might have managed to get the jump on me once, his luck is not going to hold out for long." he stated, casting a glance at the fight between Oshawott and Weepinbell. The Grass / Poison type had grabbed Oshawott with one of his vines, and had uncerimonously thrown him to the ground, stunning him briefly. "That will teach you children not to meddle in the affairs of adults!"

"Do not listen to that guy!" a rough voice answered. In a flash, a small but muscular Pokemon dashed in and knocked aside a Patrat tat was trying to attack him... and as Jonathan and his childhood friend turned in that direction, they managed to see Arley and his Timburr, still dealing with several grunts that were trying to swarm the Fighting-type Pokemon. "You two whippersnappers listen well now! You two have potential as trainers and as people as well, I am sure of it! You wouldn't have become Pokemon trainers if you didn't have something worth fighting for that you wanted to accomplish! So don't let that guy get you down, ya hear me? Especially when it's coming from someone who works for a bunch of Pokemon thieves!"

"What are you saying? How dare you speak of the Pokemon Pinchers in such terms?" Green Eyes fired back, turning to Arley just as Oshawott began picking himself up. "You have no idea of our goals, and I'm sure a roughneck like you wouldn't be able to understand anyway. So, do not speak as if you could."

"Oh, this is a load of Tauros!" Arley grunted. "What's there to understand? You guys are trying to ruin our village's celebrations, and are stealing Pokemon away from innocent trainers. In my book, that makes you villains, and it's only right that I try and stop you! Though... I think these young 'uns here will be doing a great job as well!"

Abelia took a deep breath to calm herself down... and her Venonat, finding one last burst of energy within himself, concentrated again, causing his compound eyes to glow a faint white light in the darkened room. Green Eyes' Foongus froze in his tracks before being able to launch another Faint Attack, and a beam of multicolored light shot out of Venonat's body and struck the mushroom-like Pokemon head-on, blasting him away and into a wall, where he crashed and slumped to the ground unconscious, leaving an indentation! The girl blinked in a moment of genuine surprise and wonder, but soon managed to smile out of pride for her victory.

"Awesome, Venonat! You... you actually used a Psybeam attack!" Abelia exclaimed. "That was fantastic! Thank you, Venonat... I should never have doubted you would win!"

"_Hehehee... I'm not exactly okay, Abelia, but I'll survive!_" the hairy bug answered back. Meanwhile, Oshawott was getting a second wind, and was now turning the tables again on Weepinbell - the carnivorous plant had tried to hit him with another Vine Whip, but Oshawott had managed to catch the vine in midair and was now pulling towards himself with all of his strength, and while Weepinbell tried to use his leaf-like hands to keep himself anchored to the ground, Oshawott fired a Water Gun at him, doing very little damage but confusing and disorienting Weepinbell enough to relinquish his hold. Then, Oshawott lifted Weepinbell over his head and began swinging him around once, twice... until he gained enough momentum and let go, causing Weepinbell to crash upon a wall with a loud sound! The bug-eating plant murmured something and slid to the ground unconscious, giving Oshawott the win, and the sea otter took on a winning pose and proudly held his scalchop high.

"_There I go! So, Jonathan, what about it?_" the sea otter joked, with his trainer giving him an heartfelt applause and a beaming grin.

"That was magnificent, Oshawott! Congratulations!" he commented.

Of course, Green Eyes wasn't exactly happy about his Pokemon being defeated like that. With an angry scowl, he recalled Weepinbell and Foongus, and produced another Pokeball. "Hmph... you meddlesome kids might have won this bout, but it won't last long. I have a few more surprises just for you, therefore... Skiploom, Servine, it is time for you to take charge of the situation!"

A melodious call, followed by a shrill keening cry, reverberated in the room as two new Pokemon popped out of Green Eyes' Pokeballs and took shape in front of the two novice trainers: one of them was a strange floating Pokemon the size of a basketball and not too dissimilar in form to one - it had a round green body with short arms and legs, along with a short tail that slowly moved behind it, and its perpetually smiling face had a pair of round, red, playful eyes. A pair of large ears decorated the sides of its body, and it had a large yellow flower on top of its head, which seemed to glow with a barely visible golden pollen, and it was floating in the air as if it weighed nothing at all.

The other Pokemon was something Jonathan and Abelia recognized more readily, as it was the evolved form of a common starter Pokemon - it was a Servine, the first evolved form of the Grass-type reptile Snivy, one of the available starters in the region of Unova, on the other side of the ocean. From what they knew, they remembered that the particular line was extremely defensive and could take quite a bit of punishment, even from moves with the type advantage... which meant that their two Pokemon, who were rather spent already, were not going to be able to win in a marathon fight against that guy.

"Okay... guess it's time to get back, Venonat!" Abelia told her Bug / Poison type. Venonat sighed in relief before being recalled in his Pokeball, and the silver-haired girl produced another Pokeball and tossed it in the air. "Now... let's see how you deal with this! Come out, Beedrill!"

"_Good! I was getting kind of restless!_" the giant hornet said in her buzzing voice, sharpening her stingers against one another and getting into position as Green Eyes' Servine hissed in annoyance and started to coil his body around, getting ready for yet another fight.

Jonathan did some quick thinking, and decided it would be more prudent to recall Oshawott and send out another Pokemon... the question, however, was who? Omanyte would be even weaker to Grass-type attacks than Oshawott was, and he didn't have the luxury of knowing Bug-type attacks in order to compensate for his type disadvantage. Which meant that the only option left available was... "Hmmm, okay! Come back, Oshawott! You're in charge now, Poliwag!" the young boy exclaimed. The sea otter smiled and disappeared inside his Pokeball, only to be immediately substituted by the small tadpole Pokemon, who hopped in place and sweeped the ground with his paddle-like tail.

"_I'm ready, Jonathan! Though... I'm not sure I can take this Pokemon..._" Poliwag said, looking with some worry at the smiling Skiploom hanging in the air right in front of him. As silly and harmless as that Pokemon looked, Poliwag knew it was still a Grass-type, and therefore a serious problem for a Water-type such as him.

"Don't worry, Poliwag, I'll make sure you get out of this victorious..." Jonathan said, quickly consulting his Pokedex in order to get a few more info on the two Pokemon they were facing.

"_Skiploom, the Cottonweed Pokemon. Skiploom's flower blossoms when the temperature rises above 64 degrees F. How much the flower opens depends on the temperature. For that reason, this Pokémon is sometimes used as a thermometer._" the electronic encyclopaedia said in its monotone voice. Jonathan nodded and pointed his device at Servine. "_Servine, the Grass Snake Pokemon. It moves along the ground as if sliding. Its swift movements befuddle its foes, and it then attacks with a vine whip._"

"Okay then... if you are done with presentations, then I guess I might as well start attacking, right?" Green Eyes said sarcastically, before pointing his two Pokemon towards their opponents. "Servine, start off with a Leech Seed! Skiploom, attack Poliwag with Stun Spore!"

The grass snake quickly shook his body around and launched a volley of seeds at his opponents, one of them nicking Beedrill in the chest, staggering the giant hornet somewhat. Before Beedrill could react, a tangle of rampicant plants grew from the seed and wrapped itself around her body, causing her to let out an alarmed buzz. "_Huh? What the... what on Earth is this?_" she asked angrly, trying to stab at he rampicants with her stingers in order to get rid of them.

"That's a Leech Seed attack..." Abelia murmured in dismay, as Poliwag quickly dove to the side in order to narrowly avoid the Stun Spore attack Skiploom was raining down on him. Hovering on the battlefield like an helicopter, Skiploom was periodically releasing some of his paralyzing powder upon the battlefield, forcing the tadpole Pokemon to swerve madly from side to side in order not to be hit with the dangerous substance.

"Poliwag, don't be intimidated by that!" Jonathan called to him. "Use Water Gun and bring that floating flower down!"

"_I can do that!_" Poliwag exclaimed. After narrowly dodging another Stun Spore, the tadole-like Pokemon aimed carefully and shot a powerful stream of water that hit Skiploom in the face, blinding him for a few moments, and giving Poliwag ample time to recover and counterattack! With a powerful jump, done by planting his paddle-like tail on the ground and propelling himself upwards with it, Poliwag managed to reach Skiploom and land upon his body, literally riding his opponent around the battlefield! Using his Doubleslap attack, Poliwag managed to force Skiploom on the ground, but the floating flower quickly reacted and turned upside down, throwing his opponent off. Poliwag rolled to the sideand shot another Water Gun at Skiploom, but the Grass / Flying type simply took the hit in stride, shrugging off the worst of it. "_Darn... I'm afraid this is going to be harder than last time..._"

Beedrill, for her part, was fighting valliantly against Servine, and her double type advantage was serving her well... but in the end, it was proving useless against the Leech Seed, which was lowly sapping away her strength and giving it back to Servine, allowing the grass snake to stay in the fight. A Slam attack, delivered with power and grace, knocked around the giant hornet, who still managed to land on her feet and dove at Servine with her stingers drawn!

"Beedrill, attack with Aerial Ace!" Abelia exclaimed, deciding to resort to one of her Pokemon's best moves. The giant wasp dived down upon Servine, hitting him with her twin stingers and staggering him... but the Grass-type snake, despite having taken a super-effective hit, managed to stay upright, and the Leech Seed he had sprayed Beedrill with took effect, enveloping the Bug / Poison type in a dim green luminescence. Beedrill let out a frustrated buzz as she falt her energy being sucked away and transferred to Servine.

"_That was a good shot, I'll give you that._" Servine admitted in a superior tone. "_But it won't help you if the damage I take gets recovered just as fast._"

"_Then I just have to do more damage than the Leech Seed can handle._" Beedrill answered. "_Abelia, we have to step our game up a little!_"

"That's easy to do!" the girl answered. "Now, Beedrill... use Poison Sting to ruin that guy's day!"

"_With pleasure!_" Beedrill answered, diving down upon Servine with her stinger drawn and ready to strike. Servine tried dodging sideways... but Beedrill threw a skillful feint and stabbed the grass snake in the side with the sharp stinger, injecting her venom. Servine screeched in rage and pain, as the poison began sapping his strength and nullifying the recovering effects of the Leech Seed. In a knee-jerk reaction, Servine turned around and tried to hit Beedrill with a Slam attack, but the giant hornet was already too far away to be struck, taking to the air once again with a loud buzzing sound.

"Good!" Abelia exclaimed, feeling more confident now. "And now... use Twineedle!"

Before Servine could try and attack again, and before the Leech Seed could zap Beedrill's energy again, the giant hornet dropped down upon the grass snake once again, and began stabbing him repeatedly with his twin stingers, pushing Servine farther and farther away as each hit took its toll on the weakened Grass-type. Finally, a well-placed thrust hit Servie in the chest and sent him tumbling away, only for Servine to crash upon a nearby wall and slide to the ground in a stunned heap. Beedrill received a quick jolt from the Leech Seed, but it was just a false alarm as the vines quickly wilted away and slid off the giant bug's body, leaving her free.

Now, only Poliwag and Skiploom were left, and despite getting an head start, the Grass / Flying type was now getting overwhelmed by Poliwag's Doubleslap. The sea otter was continuously targetting Skiploom with his paddle-like tail, each thrust becoming faster and more powerful than the one before... and , Skiploom was getting the short end of the stick, with Jonathan cheering his Poliwag on.

"Yeah! Go for it! We've got him cornered now!" the young boy exclaimed, as a third Doubleslap attack landed on Skiploom and caused him to lose altitude. The floating plant used his Cotton Spore attack to shower Poliwag in what looked like a finerain of cotton-like substance that caused him to sneeze and cough as it infiltrated Poliwag's nose and mouth... and the tadpole's speed was quickly reduced, giving Skiploom a bit more of an advantage. However, it was not going to keep Poliwag down for long, and the spunky tadpole quickly reacted with a Tackle attack, followed by a Bubble attack straight in Skiploom's face, causing the plant Pokemon to falter and retreat, as he tried to sputter the water that had gotten in his mouth and nose. "You got him, Poliwag! Let's settle this with an Hypnosis attack!"

"_Alright!_" the tadpole Pokemon seemed to focus for a short while, and as soon as Skiploom managed to open his eyes again, the spiral-like drawing on Poliwag's belly began glowing a faint golden light, entrancing the opponent and forcing him to keep his gaze upon it. A few seonds passed, in which Skiploom tried to fight off the strange feeling of drowsiness that was upon him... and in the end, Poliwag managed to win out through sheer determination, causing Skiploom to fall asleep in midair! Green Eyes grit his teeth in anger, but was unable to do anything when Poliwag launched another Tackle attack at his opponent and slammed him on the ground, knocking him out once and for all!

"Well done, Jonathan!" Abelia exclaimed in victory.

Green Eyes grit his teeth in frustration and disbelief, quickly recalling his defeated Pokemon, and backed away, glaring angrily at the two newbie trainers who had just disrupted his operation. "Hmph... I really didn't see that coming." he grunted. "Alright then... I will retreat for now! But remember this, you meddling kids... you have just brought upon you the rage of the Pokemon Pinchers and the Societea! This is a mistake you're going to sorely regret, remember this!"

"And what makes you think we're letting you get away, punk?" Jonathan exclaimed, deciding it would be better if they had managed to apprehend the guy and bring him to the police. Green Eyes answered nothing, and simply took a small bag, filled with what looked like some strange sort of multicolored powder, from his belt. With a gesture, he opened the bag and spilled its contents in the air, enveloping himself in a cloud of rainbow-hued dust that seemed to reflect what little light was in the cavern, creating a dazzling light show that temporarily blinded Jonathan, Abelia, Arley and their Pokemon, and kept them from running after he criminal, who quickly ran into a nearby corridor and left theroom, leaving the rest of his men in the lurch. Coughing and sputtering hs way out of the cloud of stinging powder, Jonathan was able to hear the disappointed, indignated exclamations of the defeated grunts as they called out their former leader.

"Jonathan!" Abelia exclaimed, grabbing Jonathan's hand and dragging him out of the cloud of colorful dust, which allowed both Jonathan and his Poliwag to catch their breath and shake off the disorienting effects of the strange substance. "Hey, snap out of it, Jonathan! Are you okay?"

"Phew... yeah, I guess so... I have no idea what the heck that was..." the young boy murmured, using his hand to wipe the remainer of the dust off his face. "Damn... guess that guy managed to leave, after all."

"But you did manage to drive him off, kids. That's no mean feat at all." Arley answered, smiling slightly as he and his Timburr rejoined Jonathan and Abelia. The small Fighting-type Pokemon was standing right beside his trainer, holding his iron beam with one hand and pointing it at the defeated Pokemon Pincher grunts, threatening to use it on them if they tried anything funny. "And Cocona Village owes you two an awesome debt. Thanks to you, we will be able to have our yearly celebration, and our bond with our Pokemon will surely be deepened with this. You have done well, kids."

"_We are... glad we could help._" Beedrill buzzed, while Arley gamely ruffled Abelia's silver hair with his huge hand, causing the girl to wrinkle her nose in slight annoyance. "_But... there is one thing we still don't understand. Why would these... Pokemon Pinchers... be interested in ruining your yearly celebrations?_"

"Truth be told, kids... I have no idea about this." the large man answered, taking a look around the cavern in order to search for the items that had been stolen from Cocona Village. "I can only theorize that those guys wanted us gone because they wanted to have free rein to catch and smuggle away the Pokemon living on Dolce Island. And they thought our village could be in the way, so they tried to intimidate us into leaving."

"I see..." Jonathan said, thinking back on what Green Eyes had said before running away. He had mentioned something called the Societea, and Jonathan was sure he had heard that name before... but at the moment, he couldn't for the life of him remember when or where. "Well, in the end, we managed to send those guys packing, so... what about we get those things we came here for, and go back to Cocona? I'm sure they're all waiting for us there!"

"That's right... let's get back there, so we can get back to our journey..." Abelia murmured to herself, still a little irritated over the whole thing. At least that had ended with the villain defeated, and both her, Jonathan and their Pokemon safe and sound, but would they have the same luck next time?

The atmosphere, as Jonathan, Abelia and Arley returned to the village, bringing back the Pokemon and everything else that the Pokemon Pinchers had stolen, could only be described as festive. As soon as Arley's boat, complete with an ukulele-playing Pichu standing on its front, and several Pokemon playing various instruments standing among the passengers, showed up on the horizon, the village had immediately livened up, and several stands and attraction had quickly been set up on the mainlands, and a small but warm crowd had gathered on the shoreline to greet the unexpected heroes who had helped the small community in its time of need. Abelia had tried to excuse herself as soon as the boat stopped on the shoreline, as she wasn't exactly the kind of person who liked loud, chaotic parties, and would have much preferred to stay on her own... but that had been impossible, because of the large cheering crowd that was pretty much dragging the two upstart trainers into the celebrations.

Evening had fallen quite quickly upon Cocona Village... but that only meant that the festivities were about to get a lot more lively! A huge bonfire was being lit up in the middle of the small town's main square, as the citizens gathered wood and other combustibles in order to work up a suitably large fire for the people to enjoy, while several small Pokemon, the Pichu with the ukulele standing out among them, were on top of some sort of wooden stage, playing a catchy folk ballad that was getting pretty much the whole village to dance to the rhythm. Arley himself had joined the festivities early on, setting up a small stand upon which several wooden toys he had crafted with his own hands were on display and for sale, and several children were gathered around it, playing with traditional tops and windchimes.

All in all, it looked like everybody was enjoying themselves... except for a certain silver-haired girl with long shining pigtails, who was sitting by the sea along with her Venipede, Venonat and Beedrill, staring at the waves with a distant look on her face. In fact, it seemed that Abelia wanted to stay as far away from the party as possible.

"Well, that's it for the start of our journey..." she mused, gently stroking her Venipede on his armored head. "And we already got into something that didn't really concern us. I mean, not that I really mind, but... heh, Jonathan should be careful who he listen to and who he helps... I am afraid he might bite off more than he can chew someday, with his playing hero, and if he does, I... I... I'm not sure what I would do if anything happened to him..."

"_Now, now, don't be so negative, Abelia..._" Venipede tried to cheer her up, gently stroking her hand with his antennae in an attempt not to let her get depressed. He knew what was going through her mind at moments like those, and he knew she needed to hear at least something to get her confidence back. "_This was just a single episode, and I'm sure things will be much smoother sailing from now on. After all, what are the chances of running into these Pokemon Pinchers once again? Whatever they're doing, I don't think they'll concern themselves that much over two upstart trainers._"

"I hope so... I really hope so, Venipede..." the girl answered with a sigh. A slight movement on her side alerted her to the presence of someone else, and Abelia turned in that direction just in time to see Jonathan walking towards her, a gentle smile on his vivacious face. "Oh... Jonathan, aren't you enjoying the party like the rest?"

"I was, Abi... but it just wasn't the same without you." he answered, sitting down close to his old friend. "So, Abelia... are you feeling alright? I think this has been quite the exciting ride, for our first days as trainers."

Abelia turned to her best friend and moved close to him, shivering a little from the cold air. "I guess so... but I sure hope we don't run into those guys again... that Green Eyes was no pushover, and he did force us to go all out. I'm kinda worried that the Pokemon Pinchers might be after us now..."

Jonathan chuckled light-heartedly. "Well, if those losers want a piece of me,then I'm game!" he stated heartilly, which caused Abelia to frown lightly. This was no joking matter to her. "Well, anyway... c'mon, Abi, this party is rather dull if you can't enjoy it with someone else. I know these celebrations aren't exactly your thing, but hey... you can make an exception, once in a while, can't you?"

Abelia seemed to think about it for a moment, and then wiped her white sundress clean, and stood up with a relieved sigh. "Well, when you put it this way... let's go, Jonathan. It might actually not be so bad, after all." she commented, causing Jonathan to nod and gently hold her hand as they walked back towards the town's main square.

"That's great, Abelia! I'm sure we're going to have fun!" Jonathan answered. Their Pokemon, following their trainers as they made their way back to the town square. Venipede called out to Omanyte with one of his segmented legs, and the ancient Pokemon stopped to listen to his friend.

"_Hey, Omanyte?_" the venomous bug asked. "_What do you think? Think Abelia might actually get to relax and enjoy this?_"

Omanyte looked at the two kids walking away hand in hand, and smiled slightly. "_Well... I think there might be a good chance!_" she answered. "_And I think... no, I know... that this small step in just the starting one in one huge, unforgettable adventure!_"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	8. Training on Dolce Island

**Rise of Young Adventurers**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 8 - Training on Dolce Island**

The first rays of the sun trickled through the windows of the hut, slowly seeping into the eyes of the young boy lying asleep on a cot of hay, covered in a light blanket. With a low moan, Jonathan began turning his head in the opposite direction, trying not to get the sun in his eyes... and one second later, he felt a sudden chill as he was hit in the face by a jet of cold water, which jolted him awake!

"Ah!" Jonathan exclaimed, sitting up on his improvised bed and using his hand to cleaan up his face. Finally able to see more clearly, the young boy focused his eyes on the strange Pokemon in front of his eyes... a weird cross between a blue squid and a snail, who was looking at him and giggling in amusement. "Oh... it's you, Omanyte! Good morning... even though I could do without this shower..."

"_Good mornin', Jonathan! Did you sleep well?_" Omanyte asked. "_I took the liberty of issuing a wake-up call to you, since you seemed to be keen on sleeping in for this morning!_"

"Hey, can you blame me?" the young boy said, stifling a yawn. "We'e been partying well into the late hours of the night yesterday... I swear, it was the best party I've ever attended in my life!"

"_I can believe that! All the people here were grateful for having freed them from the Pokemon Pinchers and having saved their annual celebration._" Omanyte answered with a small smile on her squid-like face. "_And I think Abelia is still asleep... will you look at her, she really looks like a different person!_"

Jonathan turned to where his travelling companion was lying, and smiled to himself as he saw Abelia still on her bed, on her side, her slender arms gently hugging a still-asleep Venonat. Her white sundress was matted with dust and sand, and her hair was a little disheveled from sleep, but she looked so peaceful and innocent that Jonathan couldn't help but stare at her for a while, smiling at her as she slowly breathed in and out.

"_She's cute, isn't she?_" Omanyte asked, winking in understanding.

"Yeah..." Jonathan said, blushing just a little. He and Abelia had been best friends pretty much ever since he could remember, but as of late, he was beginning to feel something else for her... he wasn't sure how to call it, but it felt good to be near her, to be able to talk to her, and to be there to support her in those rare occasions where she actually needed his help. He just wished Abelia would learn to be more open to him and to other people... but these were things that needed time. And in the end, Jonathan was sure it would have been wirth it to support her and lend her an hand.

A few minutes passed in complete silence... and finally, with a small tug, Abelia's Venonat woke up and turned to his trainer, rubbing against her cheek. The silver-haired girl moaned slightly, and finally woke up, slowly opening her eyes and shielding her face from the light with her free hand.

"_Good morning, Abelia!_" the hairy bug greeted his trainer, who finally stood up on her knees and shook her head to clear the dizziness. As she looked around, she saw Jonathan sitting close to her, smiling gently at her and waving his hand in greeting. Omanyte was close by, her eyes closed and a couple tentacles raised.

"Good morning, Venonat... good morning to you as well, Jonathan and Omanyte..." the girl answered, finally getting her full attention to her surroundings. "Did you sleep well? Last night is still kind of a blur to me..."

"Hehehee... don't worry, we did sleep well too! Though I would still lie down and catch some Zs if I had time..." Jonathan joked. "But yes... last night was a blast! I think we couldn't have asked for a better way to start our training journey! I mean, we already got a few of our Pokemon to evolve, we've helped these people and their Pokemon, and we send a criminal team running with their tails between their legs! What more can you ask for?"

"Maybe I could ask for nobody else to ask us any kind of favor..." Abelia said with a sigh. She still seemed to be a little sore about the fact that Jonathan had convinced her to help out Kokona Village in spite of her misgivings... "But anyway, now we can resume our journey, right? And Dolce Island should be our next stop, am I correct?"

"_Yes, that's it, Abelia._" Venonat answered. "_That place is only inhabited by Pokemon, so we'll have all the time in the world to focus on our training and maybe capture some more Pokemon for our teams. Have you already decided who your next picks will be?_"

"Well..." Jonathan seemed to think about it for a moment. "I'd really like to get a Spheal, or a Carvanha while I'm at it! Oh, and a nice Slowpoke wouldn't hurt, either! But maybe I would be better off catching a nice Horsea, or a Staryu... I mean, it'd be cool to try out that Death Starmie combination I've heard about, once I have trained my Staryu well enough and I've gotten ahold of a Water Stone! But the best thing would be to actually find another fossil Pokemon, if only I could find one! A Kabuto, maybe, or even a Tirtouga..."

"Jonathan. Slow down. Your mouth is going on overdrive." Abelia said snarkily, placing a hand on top of Jonathan's head, as if she was hitting a switch that prevented her friend from going off on a tangent. Jonathan promptly put an hand in front of his mouth and shut up, a little embarassed at the extent to which he had let himself get carried away. "Well, I'll admit, I would like to get a few Pokemon myself. A Nincada or a Joltik would be nice, for instance."

"Well, that much I can agree with!" Jonathan said. "Still... let's get our equipment and our Pokemon teams ready! We need to be well stocked up, if we re to survive on that island for a couple week straight!"

"_Yeah, I agree with that too!_" Omanyte answered, before letting herself be recalled into her Pokeball. Abelia gently stroked Venonat on his head and recalled him as well, then the two young trainers took a good look at their equipment, and finally decided it was time to say goodbye to Kokona Village and embark on the next leg of their journey. Dolce Island was laying ahead, and they were not going to waste even one day that could be used to give their Pokemon some much needed training. After checking that everything was okay, the two young adventurers stepped outside the hut they had spent the night in and looked around themselves, a little amazed at how the seemingly peaceful village now resembled something out of a warzone, with the ground littered with trash, and several stands still up. A few Pokemon were still dozing off here and there, and all in all, the whole place looked like it had seen better days.

"Wow... I didn't imagine the party was so wild, last night. Okay, that came out reeeeally wrong..." Abelia commented, rubbing her forehead as she tried to shrug off the remnants of sleep. "Looks like lots of people are still sleeping in. Not that I can blame them, of course."

Jonathan sighed. He was hoping he'd be able to at least say goodbye to Arley, the man who had helped them take down Green Eyes. "Well, it can't be helped, I guess. That's a pity, I really wanted to thank Mr. Arley for having our backs, down there." he stated.

A gruff yet friendly voice surprised both of them just a few seconds later. "Well, kids, who's to say that you won't get to do it?" Arley's voice said as the two turned and saw him and his Timburr standing behind them, both of them smiling gently at them. "I'm a little surprised you kids get to move so early. At Kokona Village, we usually do things in a more relaxed way. But I guess you can't wait to get back on track with your Pokemon journey, huh?"

"Well... you could say that, Mr. Arley!" Jonathan answered, with Abelia nervously playing with her backpack as she stood behind her childhood friend. "We were glad to help you with this problem, and we are thankful for having helped us out as well... but now, we need to get back to training our Pokemon and get stronger. We have to get to Dolce Island, and begin the next phase of our journey."

"Hmm... Dolce Island, huh?" Arley answered. "There are quite a few strong and interesting Pokemon out there, and I've heard that, if you're really lucky, you might even run into some prehistoric Pokemon that are extinct pretty much everywhere else. I saw you using an Omanyte, kid... perhaps you'd be interested to know that you can find more fossil Pokemon around there!"

Jonathan perked up even more than he already was. "Is... is that so?" he exclaimed, some stars comically shining around his body. "Then... I can't wait to get there and begin training my Pokemon! Hey, Abelia, you might even be lucky enough to catch an Anorith, what do you say about that?"

"Well... if we can find one, I'd be very happy to have one in my team..." the girl answered, trying to come across as aloof and uncaring. However, it was rather clear that she was excited at the idea of having a prehistoric Bug-type Pokemon herself. She reminded herself to look for one, if time permitted.

"That's good to know, kids!" Arley said, patting the excited Jonathan on his shoulder and causing him to flinch a little from the strength of the friendly blow. "Okay then...you should have a boat ready by the beach, and you should be able to get to Dolce Island in a snap... especially since now you don't have to worry about those Pokemon Pinchers punks seeing you. I wish you good luck on your journey, and I hope to see you again in the future!"

"Oh, that's a given!" Jonathan answered with a wink and a thumbs-up. "When we'll be back here, we'll be rising legends!"

Abelia sighed, but she privately thought it wouldn't be too bad to go back to that place, provided they wouldn't have to place themselves back in harm's way.

oooooooooo

The boat carrying Jonathan and Abelia to Dolce Island had finally sailed from Kokona Village Beach, and the two novice trainers hadstood up, waving to Arley and his Timburr until the village was nothing more than a dot on the horizon. Then, Jonathan got the rows and began pushing the boat towards Dolce Island, a large island filled with luxurious tropical plants. Now that the Pokemon Pinchers were gone, it would certainly be much safer to stay on that island... but the first things to do were to find a place where they could set up a camp, and organize themselves.

"Well then... here's Dolce Island. Our next stop. Do we have an idea of what to do already?" Abelia asked, as Jonathan rowed closer and closer to Dolce Island's beach. The girl flipped one of her pigtails back and stared intently at the island getting closer and closer. A strange melancholy feeling washed over her, as once more the feeling that she was leaving her old life behind forever struck her.

"Well... we'd have to set up camp in a place that could be reasonably considered safe. Perhaps a cave or something, once we're sure that there are no problems." Jonathan said. "After which... well, we'll decide what to do. We have quite a few Pokemon to catch, and a few more to train. But first, we have to make a plan, in order to know what we should give priority to. Don't you think that could be a good idea?"

"Yeah... that makes sense too." Abelia said, before sighing and sitting down alongside Jonathan. "Say, Jonathan... you look a little tired, do you want me to take one of the rows for you?"

"Thanks, I'll be okay!" Jonathan said, waving his hand as if to say no. "I can do this on my own..."

"Okay..." Abelia said with a small sigh. It seemed to her like Jonathan wanted to keep her from doing unnecessary work, and while she was grateful for that on one hand... she couldn't help but feel like he was being overprotective on the other. In any case, she decided it wasn't worth it to worry too much about it, and decided to just roll with it. After all, Dolce Island was close, and soon, they'd be able to do all the training they wanted, each one in his or her own way. She was going to show Jonathan how much more skilled she'd become...

A few minutes later, Jonathan and Abelia had finally landed upon the beach, and jumped off the boat to take their first steps upon the pristine beach. Now that they actually had the time to look around and see for themselves, Dolce Island really looked like an awesome place to be... although its wild, untamed nature meant that Jonathan and Abelia were in for a tough couple of weeks trying to survive on their own. The two novice adventures walked along the beach and entered the tropical forest, taking extreme care where they were going, and keeping their Pokeballs ready for use at their sides.

"Let's keep looking, Abelia." Jonathan told his friend, holding her hand as they went deeper and deeper into the forest. "As soon as you see something that could work as a shelter, point it out to me. We'll take a look at it and decide whether it could work."

"Got it." Abelia said, a few seconds before grabbing Jonathan's shoulder and pointing to a small cavern that seemed to dig inside a large rocky formation, right in the middle of a large clearing. "Okay... do you think that could be a good place to start with?"

Jonathan turned around and took a look at the place Abelia was pointing to. It looked solid enough, and Jonathan had to admit it was also quite nice looking. Not a bad place to set up camp into, and start their training period in. Not to mention, it was almost midday already, and they could use some time to eat something and feed their Pokemon as well. "Okay then... let's take a look inside, and see if that place is safe enough." he said. "After which... we might take a meal, and give something to eat to our Pokemon as well."

"Hmm, that sounds like a good idea. I'm a little hungry myself..." Abelia said. Following Jonathan's lead, she approached the cave and stood ready to throw her Pokeball as soon as a threat presented itself... but things seemed to be quiet enough, and Abelia carefully attempted to sneak a peek in the cave...

It seemed to be quiet and comfortable enough at first glance. The fact that small peebles, fallen leaves and various weeds were scattered upon the dusty, rocky floor meant that this place had probably not been used as a shelter for quite some time, though at the moment Jonathan and Abelia could not tell whether it was because of some kind of danger, or because nobody had needed to use it as a shelter for a long time. Just in case, the children decided to let one of their Pokemon out as they began exploring the place.

Abelia let out her Beedrill, who emitted a loud buzzing noise and sharpened her arm stingers upon each other, before raising her antennae and beginning to check her surroundings in search of anything suspicious. Jonathan, for his part, let his Oshawott out, and the cute otter-like Pokemon jumped around a little in joy before grabbing his scalchop, twirling it in his hands and striking a duelist's pose, holding his improvised weapon as if it was a rapier!

"_En garde, anyone who wants a piece of me!_" the cocky otter exclaimed, causing Jonatha, Abelia and Beedrill to sweatdrop at his excessive enthusiasm.

"Er... I'm glad you're so pumped about this, Oshawott..." the young boy said nervously. "But... you might want to conserve your strength for when we actally start our training, or if there's some sort of dangerous Pokemon in here! Can you keep an eye out while we explore the rest of the cave?"

"_Sure, that will be a piece of cake!_" Oshawott answered. With that, the Water-type starter began sniffing the air in search of strange scents, while the two kids began looking around, and Beedrill started noisily inspecting the cave, using her keen compound eyes to get as good as possible a glimpse of the surroundings. For several minutes, the team continued to look around... until they were sure that nothing strange was in that cave.

"Okay... looks like there's nothing to be worried about. We were luckier than I expected... Have you found anything strange, guys?" Jonathan asked his companions, to which Beedrill shook her head.

"_Nope... I found nothing as well._" Oshawott stated. "_I think we can stay safely in this cavern._"

"I did find something, but it's nothing really dangerous... in fact, I think you'd probably like it too. Here." Abelia answered, before moving her arm and nonchalantly tossing what looked like a blue stone the size of a man's fist to Jonathan, who quickly caught it in mid-air. As the young boy took a look at the stone, he was some strange light blue reflexes dancing upon it, as if they were waves lapping at a beach. Which immediately clued the young man on the stone's actual nature...

"Wow... that's an actual Water Stone!" he exclaimed in excitement, before giving a good hug to his childhood friend, whose aloof expression gave way to slight surprise and embarassment.. "Thank you very much, Abelia! I might really have need of this!"

"Uh..." Abelia murmured, squirming a little in her friend's embrace. "Well... you're welcome, Jonathan... I just found this lying somewhere in this cave, and I thought you might like it. But now... er... I guess we can start setting our things down, if this is going to be our home for the next... say, two or three weeks."

Jonathan detached himself from Abelia and chuckled lightly. "Hehehee... yep, I guess you're right as well! It's just that... well... I was kinda excited for this present, and I'm grateful to you for your thought!" he answered. Then, after carefully placing the precious Evolution Stone in his backpack, he took what he needed to camp out of his backpack, while Abelia did the same with hers. They both placed their sleeping bags on the floor and held them to the ground by placing a couple rock at their corners, before proceeding to gather some wood from just outside the cave and placing it in a pile close to their sleeping bags, while Oshawott and Beedrill gathered some large stones and placed them in a circle. Soon enough, everything was ready, and Jonathan gathered a few dry wood sticks and dumped them inside the circle of stones. Finally, after he was sure that everything was in place, he took a box of matches from his backpack and lit up a fire, kindling it with a couple of gentle blows. Finally, both Jonathan and Abelia let out their Pokemon and got ready to prepare lunch for both them and themselves.

"Alright then! We're getting some grub first, then we'll take a rest of about one hour... and after that, it's off to training!" Jonathan exclaimed, before handing Abelia a can of food and opening his own. The fire was starting up, casting a warm light upon the cave walls, and a plume of black smoke was rising from the flames and rising up in the sky through the cave's entrance. Jonathan winced at that - he hadn't thought about this particular, and he was now a little afraid that some Pokemon with nasty intentions might see the smoke from a distance and get to their hiding place.

Luckily, somebody else also seemed to have had the same realization. Abelia's Beedrill and his own Poliwag walked close to the fire, and the giant hornet began frantically beating her wings, summoning a gust of wind that blew the smoke away and towards the innermost part of the cave, while Poliwag helped with that by swinging his small tail. Jonathan let out a small sigh of relief and patted his tadpole-like Pokemon on the head, earning himself an affectionate nudge. "Well... I need to thank you, guys! I really hadn't thought that one through, and I was afraid I might possibly have done a disaster... thanks for helping!"

"_No problem... what are friends for?_" Poliwag answered. "_After all, I'm glad you managed to catch me. I have a feeling I'm going to get in some very exciting adventures at your side, Jonathan!_"

"Oh, you can bet on that, my friend!" Jonathan answered, giving the tadpole Pokemon a thumbs up as he began opening some canned food...

oooooooooo

About one hour later, Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon had eaten a satisfying meal and had rested long enough to be able to spend the rest of the afternoon training their Pokemon and going around in search of new Pokemon to capture. Now, with all their Pokemon back in their Pokeballs, the two young adventurers were standing at the entrance of their makeshift shelter, giving each other all the pointers they needed for the afternoon.

"Alright, Jonathan... so you're going to look for a chance to find new Pokemon and train the ones you've got now at the beach, right?" Abelia quickly summarized. "Well then... I'll see what I can find in the jungle. I'm pretty sure there will be quite a few Bug-type Pokemon I can take a look at."

"That's good to know, Abelia. So... we will meet here at about seven o'clock, okay?" Jonathan answered with a wink. "Good luck. I hope you can find some good Pokemon!"

Abelia gave one of her rare smiles, which always managed to make her look prettier in Jonathan's eyes. "Thanks, Jonathan... same to you!" she said, before the two of them began walking in opposite directions, each one eager to start their Pokemon hunt. "Okay then... see you this evening! I know you'll do a great job!"

"You too!" Jonathan answered. The two of them finally walked away, and began heading towards their respective destinations.

oooooooooo

A few minutes later...

The beach was one of the most impressive sights Jonathan had ever seen. Prisyine, untouched by humanity, it was composed of soft golden sand, and surrounded by a thick, luxurious tropical forest composed of palm trees and colourful flowers, several of which were obviously Grass-type Pokemon in disguise. A few rocks emerged from the quiet waters, covered in algae and small marine animals, while the bright rays of the sun created dazzling displays on the water and the sand. Still a little hesitant, Jonathan stepped onto the beach and took a deep breath of the salt-scented sea breeze, then let out his first Pokemon in order to start their training. "Okay, then... I guess you can be my first choice... come on, Oshawott, show me what you're made of!" he said, before tossing his first Pokeball and letting out his otter-like Pokemon. The cute Water-type twirled his scalchop in his hands and struck a cool pose while holding his improvised weapon in one hand, then took a relaxed fighting stance on the sand and waited for Jonathan to give him instructions.

"Cool, I can see you're already psyched, my friend!" the young boy cheerily exclaimed, seeing how his starter was standing at attention. "Okay then... let's start with some running, just so we can build up our speed and stamina! Don't worry, I plan on running along with you! Let's go!"

"_I'm racing ya, Jonathan!_" the proud otter-like Pokemon exclaimed. Then, before Jonathan could start, Oshawott took off on his own, racing along the beach while holding his scalchop in one hand!

"Hey! Hold on a second there!" Jonathan exclamed, before he started running at a leisurely pace after his Pokemon friend, laughing in amusement all the way. It felt nice to be competing in such a silly game, just like two human children who were enjoying their vacations... and while Jonathan managed to catch up with Oshawott, the Water-type starter made sure that his trainer was not going to have it easy. Every time it seemed Jonathan was about to reach Oshawott, the latter sped up just a little and one again gained ground on his trainer, until at a certain point, Oshawott could simply not speed up any more and ended up slowing down and stopping while placing his scalchop back in place. Jonathan stopped soon after, and took a few short, shallow breaths in order to get some air back in his lungs... then, deciding it was too hot already, he took off his blue jacket and threw it on the branch of a nearby fallen palm tree, before congratulating Oshawott on his performance. "There, there. I see you're doing your best!" he said, stroking Oshawott on the head while wiping some sweat from his own forehead with his other hand. "You can't expect to get better in only a few hours, though. We must keep at it, and keep training and practicing if we want to get better!"

"_Yeah... you're right... it's just that... well... it's a little tiring to run so much! And my species is not known for speed, either!_" Oshawott explained, smiling in spite of his tired legs.

Jonathan nodded in understanding. "Yeah... I know about that too." he answered. "In fact, that's exactly one of the reasons why I wanted you to train in that a little. While your speed might not reach the levels of notoriously fast Pokemon, you will still be able to hold your own when it comes to a battle of quickness and reflexes. It's all a matter of balancing your strengths and your weaknesses."

"_Yes, I understand what you mean._" Oshawott conceded. "_Trying to cober my weak points, so to speak. Okay then... just tell me if you want me to keep at this, or you have anything else to have me do._"

"Well, for now, I guess we can continue building up your speed." Jonathan answered. "Then, we will do some practice with your attacks... and then, I'll see about training Omanyte and Poliwag a little. I kind of have the feeling that the time for evolution is not too far away!"

"_Oh, I sure hope so! I'd be happy to become a Dewott soon!_" Oshawott remarked, before breaking into a new run and leaving Jonathan behind. The young boy blinked in surprise at the otter-like Pokemon's eagerness to throw himself in the training... then sighed in resignation and began running after him once again. His starter was faster than Jonathan had anticipated, and he had to really pick up the pace if he wanted to be able to remain within a reasonable distance. Jonathan almost didn't dare to think how much his performance would have improved as soon as Oshawott evolved into a Dewott, and then a Samurott... but he figured he would get to see that in time.

"Hey, Oshawott, hold on!" Jonathan called to his starter. This time, it took a little less time for Oshawott to be winded from his run, as the otter-like Pokemon was already a little tired from his earlier run... and Jonathan felt the need to advise his otter-like Pokemon against spending too much energy all at once.

"_Phew... wow... this is so tiring... I need to catch my breath..._" Oshawott panted, wiping his forehead.

"I... have no problem believing that!" Jonathan answered quickly. "You raced ahead at... breakneck speed... and you didn't even catch your breath while... you were running! Phew..." Jonathan answered, as he placed his headband back in place. "I mean, I know... you're trying your best, and I thank you for it... but try not to punish yourself with all this training! After all... you need to conserve some strength for later, okay!"

"_Yes, I'll remember that, Jonathan..._" Oshawott said as soon as he got some air back in his lungs. He rested himself for a few seconds, then glanced at the serene water of the ocean... right before he saw something sharp and black emerging for a couple seconds, and then diving back down. He rubbed his eyes, in order to make sure that what he was seeing was actually true... and saw the strange black fin emerging once again, and a wet, powerful, well-muscled and hydrodynamic body slowly emerged in a slow, elegant arc and dove down once more. "_Huh? Hey, hey, Jonathan, will you loo at that? Is that Pokemon what I think it is? If that's so, we hit the jackpot!_"

"What? Where? That one?" the surprised Jonathan exclaimed, as he took out his Pokedex and pointed to the general place where the black fish was diving in and out. Much to his surprise and delight, on the Pokedex's screen appeared the image of a crude-looking prehistoric fish of size close to that of a human being, his skin covered in dark grey scales that turned a lighter shade of grey in various parts of its body. Several flippers were scattered all over the creature's body in symmetry, and its head and jaws were protected by a thick slab of stone-like material that formed some sort of natural protection around its head. Its eyes seemed to be perpetually closed, and its mouth was set in a serious frown, giving the impression that the creature was particularly ancient and wise, while its tail seemed to have been reduced to a vestigial fan-shaped fin at the end of the body. A Relicanth, no doubt about it. A particular kind of prehistoric Pokemon, predating even such ancient creatures as Rampardos or Yanmega, who unlike many others had managed to survive even in modern times, and was therefore now considered a "living fossil". Jonathan could not believe his luck... here was just one of the Pokemon he had hoped to find coming all this way! If he could just capture that Relicanth, not only would that be a huge improvement to his team, but it would be a worthy addition to his dream of collecting all prehistoric Water-types! And after all, how many people at his level of experience could boast about having caught a Relicanth? It was simply too good a chance to pass up.

"_Relicanth, the Longevity Pokémon. Relicanth is covered in stone-like scales, which allow it to endure the pressure of the deep ocean._" the Pokedex stated. "_A rare Pokémon discovered during a deep-sea exploration. It has not changed in over 100 million years. It only feeds on microorganisms._"

"Cool! Okay, Oshawott, do you feel up to it?" Jonathan asked his Water-type starter. When the cute otter-like Pokemon chirped an affirmative, holding his scalchop high in the air, Jonathan gave him a thumbs-up and pointed to the ancient Water / Rock type Pokemon. "Alright! Then... go for it! Let's start off with a nice Aqua Jet!"

"_No problem! Just watch this, Jonathan!_" Oshawott exclaimed, blasting an extremely fast spray of water towards Relicanth as soon as the ancient fish-like Pokemon was in range. Relicanth turned around in surprise and was unable to dodge, getting hit by the blast of water and knocked back a little. Oshawott landed in the shallow water, holding his scalchop up... and Relicanth quickly shook his head and got into a fighting stance.

"_Hmm. You seemed to be rather eager to fight, young one._" Relicanth commented calmly, as if he thought this little Oshawott was not really going to harm him. "_Let me guess. You and your trainer are willing to capture me and add me to your team of Pokemon._"

"_That's exactly it! So, we challenge you to a battle! Are you up to it, gramps?_" Oshawott exclaimed, as Jonathan cheered for him from the beach. Relicanth stood silent for a few moments, then showed a small smile before nodding his head and accepting.

"_I am good with this arrangement, young one. It would be interesting to travel with a Pokemon Trainer and see more of the world. I grow weary of the seas of Dolce Island, to be honest._" the coelacanth Pokemon stated. "_However, the catch is that you will have to best me in a fight. If you can do that, I will gladly lend you my strength._"

"Works for me!" Jonathan answered. "Okay, Oshawott, let's start out with a Razor Shell!"

The otter-like Pokemon slashed at Relicanth with his scalchop, aiming for the spaces between the armor plates in an attempt to inflict more damage to the ancient Pokemon. However, the bulky fish proved to be faster than Jonathan and his starter expected - and before the Razor Shell could hit, Relicanth uses his stony armor plates to block the hit, which bounced off of his body and forced the surprised Oshawott to stumble backwards for a short while. The otter-like Pokemon landed in the shallow water with a splash, but quickly picked himself up and got ready to fight again. Relicanth seemed unimpressed at the Water-type starter's display of power - or lack thereof - and simply sighed in understanding.

"_If that is the best you can do, young one, I am afraid we will have to part company now._" Relicanth stated calmly... which only had the effect to anger Oshawott and his trainer.

"Damn you... how dare you say we are weak?" Jonathan exclaimed, stepping into the water as if he wanted to get to Relicanth. "I'll have you know, we are the ones who defeated the Pokemon Pinchers only one day ago!"

"_Hoh... I see. So that is why I did not see any human presence on this island this morning. You do have skills after all._" Relicanth stated. "_But do not get too cocky just because you managed to defeat one of their lackeys. You have still much tolearn, young boy, and you obviously still don't know a stronger opponent when you see one. I have been fighting for the better part of my life, and I like to think I have got some skills. If you want to be able to defeat me, you two will have to do better than that._"

"You want better? You'll have better!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Oshawott, go for it! Use Rock Smash on that guy!"

"_You got it!_" the small otter exclaimed. Forsaking his scalchop for a moment, Oshawott jumped up and dropped down on Relicanth, delivering a punishing punch on the coelacanh's incredibly tough hide. This time, the prehistoric fish actually managed to feel the hit, and was forced to back away in surprise, which actually seemed to rekindle Oshawott's confidence, and the Water-type starter began advancing on Relicanth... but that proved soon to be a huge mistake as the huge prehistoric fish quickly turned around and smacked Oshawott hard with a powerful Aqua Tail attack, sending the smaller starter flying and causing him to land on the beach in a daze. Incredulous, Jonathan ran to his Pokemon's side and shook him awake, causing the otter-like Pokemon to murmur something and shake his head in a mixture of amazement and disappointment.

"Oshawott! Oshawott, are you okay?" the young boy asked, causing the otter-like Pokemon to nod slowly. He hadn't been badly injured, but his ppride had taken a rather grievious hit.

"_Yes... yes, I'm okay, Jonathan... I'm just sorry I wasn't able to keep up with this guy here..._" Oshawott answered, before standing up uneasily. "_I didn't think he was this strong..._"

Jonathan sighed and smiled bitterly as he glanced downwards. "Neither did I. So... I guess he was right when he said I can't recognize a stronger opponent when I see one." he stated. "Well... I sure have to hand it to you, Relicanth. You're some fighter... you clobbered us, but good."

"_Well... you weren't bad yourselves. All you need to do is get more experience, and you will be able to face me once again._" the prehistoric fish answered. "_Now, I have to congratulate you over chasing the Pokemon Pinchers away from Dolce Island. Not just everyone can take on those people and actually win. That convinces me that you have got a lot of potential as fighters. Therefore... if you are interested in having me as a member of your team, I will be glad to accept your challenge again in the future. Train well for our next confrontation. I will be waiting._"

"Thank you very much, Relicanth. We will make sure to be well prepared in the future!" Jonathan answered, petting his Oshawott on the head.

"_I guess I kinda needed a lesson in humility, too. I was getting a little uppity because I had taken out the Pokemon Pinchers along with my friends..._" Oshawott stated.

Relicanth nodded sagely. "_It's okay. We all make mistakes. Arceus knows I made mine as well._" he stated. "_Just remember this - there is always someone stronger than you are. And that goes for me as well._"

Both Pokemon and trainer nodded in understanding, and Relicanth allowed a small smile to graze his wizened face. "_That is good, young ones. Now, I must return to the sea. Please, become stronger, and then come seek me again in this place, whenever you feel like you are ready. Farewell, young ones._"

With a jolly wave of his tail, Relicanth dove down again and bid farewell to the two young and enthusiastic upstarts, who stood in place and looked at the placewhere the prehistoric fish had disappeared. After a short while, Jonathan sighed and petted his Oshawott on the head, realizing that they still didn't have what it took to be in the big leagues.

"Well, we are still beginners after all..." the young boy stated, before climbing to his feet and taking a spray medicine out of his backpack. He sprayed it on Oshawott, and the otter immediately felt better and struck a pose, holding out his shell-like weapon. "We still have much to learn, and instead we tried to bite off more than we could chew. We'll be more careful next time... and we'll return to challenge Relicanth sometime in the future, when we both are stronger! Okay with that, Oshawott?"

"_Oh, that's for sure!_" his starter answered with a wink. "_Well then... guess we're better off doing some lighter training for now... and you still need to give some training to Omanyte and Poliwag._"

"I will, no worries!" Jonathan said, giving his Pokemon a thumbs up as they both stood up and started walking in a different direction...

oooooooooo

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	9. New Friends, New Types

**Pokemon: Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 9 – New Friends, New Types**

Abelia remained silent as she searched through the tropical island, though while the Pokemon Pinchers have been stopped at least for the time being… she wanted to make sure Jonathan wouldn't try anything reckless like he usually does ever since their journey began which despite her aloof personality, she would prefer that he didn't do anything that could get himself killed in the process.

"Sometimes Jonathan can be such an idiot…" she said to herself, letting out a small sigh just before stroking the fur of her Venonat.

It wasn't until then that she noticed some bushes moving at the left corner and decided to see what it was only to spot a strange Bug-Type Pokemon appearing from within. "I wonder what that is" she said, checking her Pokedex for more information.

_Nincada, the Trainee Pokemon. Nincada lives underground. It uses its sharp claws to carve the roots of trees and absorb moisture and nutrients. This Pokémon can't withstand bright sunlight so avoids it._

Yet the Pokemon in question saw Abelia and her Venonat, sensing the two as a serious threat and prepared to attack, striking with a Scratch attack though the Hairy Bug stepped in to protect the silver-haired girl and used Confusion to stop the Bug/Ground-Type in its tracks. "Thank you Venonat…" she told her Bug/Poison-Type with a bit of gratitude, then turned her attention towards the Pokemon she was facing. "Alright, use Supersonic right now!"

_I'm on it!_ said Venonat, unleashing a Supersonic sound in an attempt to confuse the Nincada but it managed to burrow underground to avoid being hit by the attack. _Where did he go?_

"Be careful, he must be using the Dig attack and he could strike at any time…" Abelia warned Venonat, then after a few seconds or so, Nincada launched a surprise attack on its opponent and managed to score a direct hit on him with another Scratch attack. "Venonat use your Sleep Powder!"

Venonat managed to get back up and spun around to unleash blue particles that caused the Trainee Pokemon to start getting drowsy and eventually fell asleep. _Alright, I got him Abelia!_

"Okay, use Tackle!" ordered Abelia, which he was more than happy to charge at Nincada and slammed right into it while it was too sleepy to move out of the way, the two realize that they need to hurry before it wakes up. "Alright then, Pokeball go!" She threw a Pokeball at the Bug/Ground-Type and watched it get sucked inside before the ball began shaking from side to side for seconds before stopping.

_We did it!_ The Venonat was more than happy that they managed to catch the attacking Nincada and the bare-footed girl simply approached the Pokeball in order to pick it up then went back to her Venonat, stroking his purple fur once more.

"Thank you Venonant, I wonder how Jonathan's doing right now…" she said, a bit concerned for her friend once more and hoped he wasn't going to do something reckless again like he did previously.

oooooooooo

For his part, Jonathan, his Oshawott and his Poliwag were now engaged in quite a heated battle with another two Pokemon –that, fortunately enough, weren't quite as tough as the Relicanth Jonathan had tried taking on. His first opponent was now a cute-looking Pokemon that resembled some sort of spherical seal-like creature, with short blue fur sporting several white spots on its back and a beige underside. It had circular eyes, small tusks protruding from its upper jaw, stubby ears, beige flippers and a short, flat tail. Its rounded and spherical appearance made it bear resemblance to a balloon or a ball.

The other Pokemon was rather similar in appearance: it looked spherical as well, and it had short blue fur like its companion, but it also had large, round Mickey Mouse-like ears with red insides, and its arms and legs were short and had no digits at all. Its tail was zigzagging, with a blue ball at the end of it. Jonathan quickly consulted his Pokedex, in order to know a little more about these opponents.

"_Spheal, the Clap Pokemon. Ice/Water type Pokemon._ _It crosses the oceans by rolling itself on drifting ice. Fluffy fur keeps it warm when the temperature is below freezing._"

"_Marill, the Aqua Mouse Pokemon. Water/Fairy type Pokemon. The tip of its tail, which contains oil that is lighter than water, lets it swim without running the risk of drowning._"

The young boy was caught off guard by what his Pokedex said about Marill's type. He knew of all the possible Pokemon types, but the Fairy type came across to him as a complete surprise. Still, he was facing two Pokemon who could be worthy additions to his team, and his Pokemon could use some training themselves. Therefore, he put aside his own questions about the new Pokemon type and got down to business. "Well, I guess I can ask somebody else who knows better than I do!" he stated. "Okay, Oshawott, start off with Razor Shell on Spheal! Poliwag, attack Marill with Doubleslap!"

"_Right away!_" the otter-like Pokemon said, while at the same time charging at Spheal with his scalchop drawn and ready to strike. Spheal stood his ground on the rock it was standing on, protected itself with a Defense Curl, and took the hit head-on without flinching, before countering with a Rollout attack that sent Oshawott tumbling among the waves, close to the beach. Poliwag was attacking Marill, using his tail to slap around the Water / Fairy – type, but the aquatic mouse was proving to be far more resistant than Jonathan had calculated, and managed to withstand the attack without too much trouble.

"A Rollout attack? I had no idea Spheal could learn that…" Jonathan said out loud, to which Spheal, having just landed from the unexpected attack, smiled cunningly and answered just as Oshawott was picking himself up.

"_Are you surprised, pal? My father was a Bibarel who passed one of his moves down to me and my siblings!_" it stated in a rather female-sounding voice, which gave away the seal-like Pokemon's gender. Jonathan frowned a little, not knowing exactly how move inheritance worked, and chalked it up to being one more thing he would have to get information about, but quickly shook it off, remembering he had to concentrate on the battle. For their part, Poliwag and Marill were still duking it out with their respective moves, neither one managing to land a solid hit on the opponent. The tadpole-like Pokemon was using his tail to attack his opponent, who answered by shooting a constant stream of explosive bubbles with his Bubblebeam and hitting Poliwag repeatedly.

"_These guys are tougher than they look!_" Poliwag commented, trying his hardest to sidestep the Bubblebeam attack, but the attack was following him around, making it hard for him to both defend and attack. "_We need to find another way to attack them, or we'll end up in a stalemate!_"

"I'm trying to think about it…" Jonathan said, trying to wrack his brain in an attempt to come up with a strategy to defeat them… "Hmm… okay, I think I got it! Poliwag, attack with Bubblebeam as well! Oshawott, get ready to use Revenge!"

"_Gotcha!_" the otter-like Pokemon exclaimed. He put away his scalchop and readied himself for the next attack, which arrived soon enough. Spheal used her Rollout attack once again, and managed to score a clean hit on the otter-like Pokemon… but Oshawott endured the hit and stood his ground, managing to remain on his feet… before launching a powerful counterattack that struck the unprepared Sphea straight in the chest, knocking her in the waves with a loud splash and a scream of pain and surprise. The seal-like Pokemon quickly stood up again, but it was clear that the blow had startled and confused her, and she was amazed that Oshawott had managed to inflict that much damage upon her..

Poliwag and Marill, for their part, were bombarding each other with bullet-like bubbles from a distance, hiding each other in a cloud of swirling colours. It was hard to see which one of them was winning, skilled as they were at dodging and faking their opponents out. Neither of them was able to inflict much damage either, so they often took the risk and made their way through the racing bubbles in order to get closer.

Finally, Poliwag and Jonathan saw an opening, and saw that the Water / Fairy type Pokemon was open to an attack. Jonathan nodded and gave his tadpole-like Pokemon a new order. "Now's the time, Poliwag! Hit him with Hypnosis!"

"_Alright! Time to go to bed now!_" Poliwag told his opponent. The spiral-like pattern on the tadpole Pokemon's stomach began swirling in a dizzying way, and Marill, distracted as he was by the myriad of bubbles he was busy trying to either dodge or block, did not see that coming in time! Soon, he felt himself becoming sluggish and sleepy… and that was when Poliwag attacked again, this time using a powerful Body Slam attack that struck Marill head on and knocked him to the ground, stunned and ready to be captured! The tadpole Pokemon landed on his feet a few steps in front of Jonathan and turned towards his trainer, nodding and winking at him. "_I got him good, Jonathan! You catch him now!_"

"Thank you for your help, my friend!" Jonathan answered, tossing a Pokeball like he was throwing a curve ball in a baseball game. The sphere sailed through the air and hit Marill, who gave a stunned moan as he was caught inside the containing device, which closed up a moment later and swayed for a few moments before stopping. Marill had been captured, and Poliwag gave a short cry of joy as Jonathan walked to his new catch and raised the Pokeball high in the air!

"And… there you have it!" he exclaimed. "Now, let's see how Oshawott is faring…"

Oshawott seemed to be doing a good job as well, since the Revenge attack had done quite a bit of damage to Spheal, both because of a Fighting attack being strong against Ice types, and because the fact that Oshawott had taken a hit during the round meant that the attack power of Revenge was doubled. Spheal opened her mouth and fired an Ice Ball attack in the form of a sphere of freezing white energy that hit the otter-like Pokemon, causing him rather low damage because of Water's resistance to Ice.

"_Hm. Not bad._" Oshawott murmured, shrugging the ice crystals off of himself before getting in a fighting position again. Jonathan saw that his starting Pokemon was ready to launch another attack, and quickly gave him another order.

"Alright, Oshawott! Time to use your Aqua Jet!" the young boy exclaimed, and the otter-like Pokemon launched himself at Spheal with incredible speed, hitting her head-on and knocking her away. The seal-like Pokemon landed awkwardly in the shallow water and her eyes turned into swirls, causing Oshawott to let out a victorious scream as his trainer smiled and balanced another Pokeball on the tip of his finger.

"_She's all yours, Jonathan!_" the otter-like Pokemon exclaimed. Jonathan smiled and gave his starter Pokemon a thumbs-up, before tossing another Pokeball with great skill and accuracy. The ball struck true and absorbed the seal-like Pokemon inside of itself, and after the token few seconds of resistance, Spheal gave up and let herself be caught and added to Jonathan's team. The Pokeball gave a shrill sound and stopped moving, while Jonathan ran in the shallow water to fetch his newest catch!

"Yay! We got it!" Jonathan exclaimed, lifting his new Pokeball in the air while Oshawott and Poliwag cheered for their trainer's victory. "And now we have a Marill and a Spheal on our team! Excellent job, guys!"

"_Heheheee… it was a pleasure, Jonathan! And those two were strong opponents anyway! I'm sure they will be cool to fight alongside of!_" the tadpole-like Pokemon exclaimed, before noticing that Oshawott seemed to be behaving a little strangely, as if he wasn't managing to focus on what was around himself. "_Huh? Hey, Oshawott, what's the matter now? You… seem to be a little off…_"

"_I… I'm not sure about it…_" Oshawott murmured uneasily, feeling a strange sensation in his body and limbs, as if something was trying to awaken inside of himself. Jonathan blinked in surprise, trying to understand what was going on with his starter… and he was ecstatic to see the small Pokemon begin to glow harshly, a cocoon of light forming all around his body and dazzling everyone who happened to be in the proximities.

"You're evolving, Oshawott!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Hehehee… guess that means all the hard work did pay off!"

The light surrounding Oshawott's body intensified for a moment… and then dimmed down to nothing, allowing Jonathan and Poliwag to take a good look at the otter Pokemon's new appearance: he had become a bipedal, otter-like Pokémon that was primarily light blue in color, with small black ears, a pointed crest at the back of its head, a red nose, along with white whiskers forming tilted V-shapes on his face. His forelimbs had three fingers on each one of his black paws. Around his waist was a large, dark blue, fringed arrangement of fur, with two scalchops on the thighs. His feet and flat tail were black, and overall, it looked much more powerful than it had been before. With a joyous roar, the newly evolved Pokemon raised one of his scalchops in the air and struck a triumphant pose!

"_Heheheee! Look at me, everyone! I have evolved into a Dewott!_" he exclaimed. In excitement, Jonathan took a look at his Pokedex, in order to get some more information about the newly-evolved Pokemon.

"_Dewott, the Discipline Pokemon. Water-type Pokemon. The evolved form of Oshawott._" The Pokedex said. "_Scalchop techniques differ from one Dewott to another. It never neglects maintaining its scalchops._ _As a result of strict training, each Dewott learns different forms of fighting with his shells._"

"Well… that's pretty awesome!" Jonathan exclaimed. "I guess this makes up for me being an hot-headed fool back then, huh?" He let out an embarrassed chuckle, remembering how thoroughly Relicanth had defeated him… "By the way, does anyone know about this Fairy-type Marill had spoken of? I have kept myself occupied with studying Pokemon types before I started my journey, but this is the first time I've really heard of it."

Dewott shook his head and Poliwag let out a sigh, unable to say more about that… but just then, Jonathan felt his third Pokeball shake, and understood that Omanyte wanted out for a moment. He quickly unlimbered the ball from his belt and opened it, allowing the ammonite Pokemon to appear on the beach and stretch her tentacles.

"_Aaaah, now that feels nice! Pokeballs are cozy and all, but it's great to just walk around from time to time!_" Omanyte commented, before turning to her trainer. "_Anyway, Jonathan… you said you wanted to know more about this Fairy-type, huh?_"

"Not just me, I think Dewott and Poliwag would like to hear about it as well." Jonathan answered, taking a look at his other two Pokemon. Omanyte turned to them and widened her eyes for a split second when she saw how he had evolved, genuinely impressed with that.

"_Oh… so you've just evolved into a Dewott, I see! Well, that's pretty cool!_" Omanyte stated, leading to Dewott grinning in victory and giving the prehistoric mollusk a thumbs-up. "_Hehehee, I sure wish I am this cool when I get to evolve into an Omastar. Well then… I was saying, the Fairy-type. Yes, a new type that was discovered by humans just recently, in the continent of Kalos. However, I had heard about it back then, before I became part of your team, Jonathan._"

"You mean, back in those ancient ruins I found you in when I was, like, seven or eight?" Jonathan asked, wanting to make sure. "And… how exactly did you know about it?"

Omanyte almost seemed to smirk knowingly. "_You seem to forget something, pal. My species dates back to millions of years ago, and in some places… like the one you found me at… some colonies of Omanyte and Omastar survived the coming of new geologic ages and managed to thrive. Some of them even passed on knowledge to their descendents, and it just so happens that my Omastar ancestors told me about the Fairy-type, whose existence we already knew of._" She explained, not without some self-satisfaction. "_Anyway, Fairy-type are notable because they have a very important advantage – Dragon-type attacks are useless against them._"

"_Wow!_" Poliwag exclaimed in shock. "_In other words, you're telling us they're a type that exists for the express purpose of countering the Dragon type?_"

"_Yes, in a nutshell, that's it._" Omanyte answered. "_Basically, a Fairy-type Pokemon is most effective when fighting against a Dragon-type Pokemon, and is at an advantage against Fighting and Dark type Pokemon as well. However, they have trouble doing damage to Fire-type Pokemon, and they are at a severe disadvantage against Poison-type and Steel-type Pokemon._"

"Well… that's good for reference!" Jonathan commented, taking in all information. "Okay… now that this is out of the way, I think you might want to stretch your legs… I mean, your tentacles… a little! What do you say, Omanyte? Wanna do some training yourself? It's not even four o'clock in the afternoon, too."

"_Okay, I'm game!_" the prehistoric Pokemon answered with a playful flick of her tentacles, standing up and getting in a rather silly guard position. "_I will show you just how strong I'll be when I become an Omastar!_"

"Alright then! Dewott, Poliwag, care to be her sparring partners?" Jonathan asked his other Pokemon, who quickly ran to their trainer's side and got ready for another round, with Omanyte smiling in anticipation. "Cool! Okay, let's get to it! I can't wait to show Abelia how strong my team has become!"

"_Hehee, I'm sure she will be surprised!_" Dewott commented.

oooooooooo

It had been a long, eventful and exciting day… and in the end, as the sun was setting on the horizon and Dolce Island was beginning to get immersed in the warm glow of the dusk, Jonathan sighed in satisfaction while walking back to the cavern he and Abelia had chosen for their place to stay and sleep in. He was not surprised to see his childhood friend already there, although by the look of things she had just returned as well. Her Pokemon were close to her and seemed to be relaxing after all the training. Aside from her usual Venonat and Venipede, and the Beedrill she had raised from a Weedle ever since their journey had begun, Abelia now had a Nincada that she had obviously caught during her training, and that was now helping himself to a bowl of Pokemon food the silver-haired girl had set aside for him. It seemed like a nice enough Pokemon, and Jonathan was a little curious to know more about it.

"Hey, Abi!" the young boy greeted his best friend, who raised her head and smiled slightly at him, still keeping her trademark distant expression as she gently stroked her newly captured Nincada on the head.

"Hello there, Jonathan." She said gently. "I trust you and your Pokemon have had a good time training."

"Oh, I think you can say that alright!" Jonathan chuckled. "In fact, not only did I manage to catch a Marill and a Spheal, but my Oshawott even evolved into a Dewott! It was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself!"

"That's nice to know." Abelia answered, getting back to the task of feeding her Pokemon, before Jonathan asked her a question.

"By the way, Abi… do you happen to know anything about the Fairy-type Pokemon?" he asked, simply out of curiosity in knowing if his childhood friend was just as well-informed as he was.

The silver-haired girl seemed to be a little puzzled about it. "Actually, no, Jonathan. This is the first time I've heard of this type of Pokemon." She answered with a shrug, then addressed the rest of her own Pokemon. "Do you guys happen to know anything about these Fairy-type Pokemon?"

"_I've actually heard about them, once._" Nincada answered in a nasal voice that reminded Jonathan of the buzzing of an insect's wings. It was the first time Abelia even heard her new Pokemon speak too. "_I've just heard that they are particularly strong against Pokemon of the Dragon-type, and that there are quite a handful of those out there. Jigglypuff, Marill and Mawile are just a few of them._"

"It just so happens that you've caught one of them, then." Abelia commented. "Good for you then… you got yourself a nice Pokemon to take out Dragon-types with. As well as that Spheal you've caught."

Jonathan put his hands behind his head and laughed happily. "Hehehee… yeah, I can say my Pokemon and I have had a good time today! What about you, Abelia? I can see you've got yourself a nice Nincada!"

"I sure can't complain." The girl answered. "Well then… guys, can you just wait for us inside? I think Jonathan and I will have some more training to do. Training we'll have to do personally."

"_Okay, Abelia._" Venipede answered. "_Come on, guys… we can wait for our trainers in there! And we can also give a warm welcome to Jonathan's Marill and Spheal, don't you think so?_"

Jonathan let his Pokemon out, including his newest catches, and the small team of faithful monsters gathered at the opposite end of the cave, taking the dinner Abelia had prepared for them with themselves. After wishing their Pokemon a pleasant evening, Jonathan and Abelia walked out and stood in the clearing just outside their camping area, before placing themselves one in front of the other and standing on guard. Jonathan smiled slightly and winked at his childhood friend, who seemed to understand what Jonathan meant and easily slid into a fighting position, keeping her arms raised in front of herself and her delicate hands balled into fists.

"Yeah, I guess we cannot overlook that." She answered an unspoken question. "We need to train our own bodies a little and be ready to fight ourselves if it comes down to that."

"With people like the Pokemon Pinchers around, you can never be too prepared." Jonathan answered, also getting in a fight pose. "Well then, are you ready? Show me what you can do in a straight fight!"

"With pleasure!" she answered, testing the friction between the grass-covered ground and the soles of her bare feet. With a sudden burst of speed, Abelia dashed forward and threw a right punch at Jonathan, who quickly swayed the attack and countered with one of his own. Abelia ducked and caused the blow to miss entirely, then executed a quick roundhouse sweep that would have knocked Jonathan down had it not been for the fact that the boy had jumped up just in time. Abelia then rolled away and stood ready to fight again, while Jonathan quickly raised his guard.

"My, Abelia, you sure are more skilled than I thought!" Jonathan commented. "But… if I have to be frank, I think I found two weak points in your fighting style already."

"Oh, really?" the girl answered in a somewhat cross manner, before closing the gap once again and throwing a few light kicks from her left leg. "And what would they be, if I can ask?"

Jonathan quickly blocked the flurry of kicks, though he did feel a jolt of pain when Abelia's heel connected with his forearm. "Well… for starters, I think you need to watch your hair." He answered. "With those pigtails you've got, any opponent could try and grab them before giving them a good pull. And trust me, I'm willing to bet that hurts."

"It just means I will have to take care not to let my hair get grabbed." Abelia answered nonchalantly, before quickly stepping backwards to avoid a sweep from Jonathan's right leg. "And the second one?"

"Well, I kinda showed it already, right now." Jonathan answered. "Going barefoot is not always an advantage. Your opponent might step on your feet, and that would really hurt. Or even just attack your feet, which are a sensitive part of the body. You have to make sure your feet are out of your enemies' reach, or you might be in trouble if they decide to attack them and cripple you."

"Okay, I'll remember that too." Abelia answered, sounding somewhat bored. "I'll just have to make sure my feet don't stay on the ground long enough for my opponent to hit them. Is that satisfying?"

"Well… I didn't mean that as a critique." Jonathan answered, hoping he hadn't annoyed Abelia without meaning to. As introverted as she usually was, it was sometimes rather hard to see whether she was annoyed with something or not. "Anyway, with that out of the way… would you like to continue?"

"Absolutely." The girl answered, smirking just a little. The two young trainers nodded to each other and continued their sparring, Abelia going first with a quick succession of punches, she managed to force Jonathan on the defensive and produced herself in a spectacular roundabout kick that forced her friend to duck. However, she was unbalanced, and that allowed Jonathan to dash in and grab her while she was still standing on one leg, forcing her with her back on the ground! Abelia groaned slightly in surprise and annoyance, while Jonathan quickly stood up and dusted himself, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"That's one to nothing for me, I guess." He said, before extending a hand to the girl, who took it and lifted herself up.

"Okay, I'll give you that." Abelia answered. "I was careless. Time to take off the kiddie gloves then."

She quickly cracked her knuckles and got back into a fight pose, before dashing in to attack again…

oooooooooo

"_They sure are giving it all they've got, aren't they?_" Jonathan's newly-caught Spheal commented on the sparring match between the two upstart trainers. Abelia had now taken the lead and was forcing Jonathan on the ground with a straight kick to the side, which the boy had been unable to block. "_Guess they really want to be prepared in case they can't rely on us Pokemon._"

"_Well, not that I can blame them._" Abelia's Beedrill answered in a buzzing voice. "_I should know, having lived in the wilderness for some time before Abelia added me to her team. The world of Pokemon is beautiful and all, but it can also be quite dangerous, and you can never be too prepared._"

"_I guess that makes sense…_" Marill answered, stuffing a generous helping of potato chips that seemed to have come out of nowhere into his wide mouth and happily munching on them! "_By the way, since you've been fighting alongside them for quite a while now… how is it to live alongside Jonathan and Abelia?_"

"_Oh, we definitely could have done worse. Much worse._" Was Omanyte's ready answer, tempered with a witty chuckle. "_They both care a lot about their Pokemon and will do anything to keep them safe, though they never skimp out on the training. Now, I have to say that Jonathan is the most overtly friendly of the two. Abelia… well, she might come across as rather cold at times, but I can assure you that this is just a façade._"

"_What do you mean by that?_" Nincada asked, having just finished his bowl of Pokemon food.

Venipede sighed a little before answering. "_Abelia hasn't had it very easy in her life. Her parents were Pokemon Rangers who died in a mission when she was, like, seven or eight, and she's grown colder and distant as a result. I think she wants to try not to get close to anyone else in case she loses them again. I… would like to ask you to be patient and let her open up to you at her own pace. Stay close to her, and don't try to force anything out of her. She needs your friendship, not your pity… and that's what Jonathan is trying to do right now._"

Nincada took a good look at the two sparring children once again as they both attempted to do a submission hold on each other, but both of them managed to escape the grab and turned to each other, smiling in amusement. It seemed that they were having fun training… and it seemed clear that they both trusted each other very much, as there seemed to be some sort of unspoken understanding between them. It was more than just them being friends… it was some sort of link that Nincada himself couldn't quite understand, even though he hoped he would someday be able to experience it as well.

For now, he told himself, he would simply try and be a good friend to Abelia, just like Venipede had said…

oooooooooo

Jonathan and Abelia finally sat down on the moss-covered ground getting some breath back in their lungs. They had been practicing for a good half an hour now, and the fatigue from the long day was starting to catch up to them… and now, they couldn't be happier to catch some well-deserved rest and eat some dinner alongside their Pokemon!

"Phew… now that was one heck of a workout! You sure don't play around, Abi!" Jonathan said, removing his headband to wipe some sweat off his forehead, while his childhood friend cooled down by fanning herself with her hand. "You really gave me a run for my money now…"

"Thanks, you're not bad yourself." She asked, trying to look unfazed even though she was tired herself. She tried to put her hair back in place as well as she could, then picked herself up and helped Jonathan up, before the two of them began walking back towards their camp, their Pokemon waiting for them. "I don't know about you, but I think we can call it a day. We already did a lot for today."

"Yeah, I agree with that." Jonathan answered, as the two trainers reached their camp and sat around a pile of wooden logs they had gathered earlier. They and their Pokemon began setting up a fire to warm themselves and cook some food, with Jonathan placing a few rocks around the place where they were going to light up the campfire. In a moment, everything was set up and ready, and while Abelia took some cans of Pokemon food out of her backpack, Jonathan began cooking a few sausages and opening up a box of sandwiches they had bought just the previous day.

"Here we go…" Jonathan said. "Hey, Marill, Spheal, Nincada… how are you doing? Are you feeling alright? I hope we did not go too rough on you."

"I_t's okay, it's not like we can't take it anyway!_" Spheal answered, before stretching herself and checking if everything was in shape. "_You caught us fair and square, so we are going to follow you and see if you can be a good trainer to us. For our part… we are going to fight for you as hard as we can._"

"_Yep, same goes for me._" Marill answered, gently wagging his tail. "_Since you've just now learned about Fairy-types, just remember to call on me whenever you have to deal with Dragon-types! I feel like I could take on a Dragonite with my Huge Power ability!_"

"Huge Power?" Abelia asked. "What's this ability all about?"

This was something Jonathan knew, so he decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to show off his expertise a little. "This ability doubles Marill's attack power, but only works for physical attacks." He explained. "Still, I'm sure it will be useful. Thank you, Marill, I'll make sure I am a good trainer for you and Spheal as well, and I hope you'll become a good friend to all the other Pokemon too!"

"_I will certainly do my best!_" the water mouse answered with a perky smile. Abelia's newest capture, Nincada, slowly scuttled next to the silver-head, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor munching on a sandwich. When Abelia turned her glance to Nincada, the pupa-like Pokemon gently laid her head on Abelia's side, surprising her a little.

"_I may not be very strong, but I'll do my best, and I'm sure you will be a capable trainer for me._" She said, with Abelia stroking her on the head. "_I… just want to warn you to have a spare Pokeball and an empty place in your team by the time I'll get to evolve._"

"Hmm… I think I know about this." Abelia said, after thinking a little. "I've heard that, when a Nincada evolves into a Ninjask, it sheds its outer shell, which becomes a Pokemon in its own right… can you confirm this?"

"Yes, I heard about it too." Jonathan answered. "If you have a spare Pokeball and an empty place in your team, you get a Shedinja, a pretty interesting Bug / Ghost Pokemon that is immune to any attack that doesn't have the type advantage. Definitely not something you want to dismiss out of hand."

"That's pretty interesting, in fact." Abelia stated with a small smile. "Anyway, I will try to be a good trainer for you, for Beedrill, Venipede and Venonat too… and I hope you'll be good friends too!"

Jonathan chuckles a little at seeing his childhood friend suddenly getting so sentimental and open, and the silver-haired girl wrinkled her nose, looking at the chestnut-haired boy as if he had said something annoying. "Well, Jonathan? What's so funny about what I said?"

"Hehehee… nothing, really! Sorry, Abi, didn't mean to make fun of you." He hastily added, looking both amused and embarrassed at the same time. "It's just that… well, it's a little unusual to see you all relaxed and friendly! You always seem to put some distance between yourself and the others, so I was glad to see you loosening up a little!"

"Hmph…" she said, turning her head away while trying to hide the faint blush she had on her face. Even Venonat and Venipede looked at each other and smiled, glad that their trainer had actually managed to let her guard down for a while. Jonathan was right, that Pokemon journey was proving to be quite beneficial to the girl…

"Now, now, Abelia, don't be like that!" Jonathan said, placing a gentle hand on Abelia's right shoulder. "It's just proof that you're enjoying your Pokemon journey, just the way it should be!"

"Oookay…" Abelia answered, looking at the smiling Omanyte and Oshawott who were chatting to themselves. Much as she was loathe to admit it, she was indeed having more fun than she expected, and she wondered what the rest of the journey would show her…

**oooooooooo**

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


	10. More battles on Dolce Island

**Rise of the Young Adventurers**

**oooooooooo**

**Chapter 10 - More battles on Dolce Island**

Jonathan and Abelia were resting in their sleeping bags, as night had dawned so the two needed some much deserved sleep if they are to be ready to continue their journey the next day yet as Abelia's eyes were closed... Jonathan found himself wide awake, looking up at the starry sky as he reflected on their previous encounter with the Pokemon Pincher. While the two trainers were lucky enough to have managed to beat them, he had a feeling that there are stronger member of that organization just waiting to take the two on.

"Will we be ready to face the tougher opponents?" He asked himself while letting out a small sigh then turned his attention towards his childhood friend, while the events that led to the death of her parents had left a negative change to her, deep down, he saw that there was still some traces of the old Abelia left inside of her and knew that it would take a long time for the Abelia that used to smile brightly to return, but he will do what he can to help if only by a little. "Abi looks so peaceful sleeping..." He silently noted, especially as her hair didn't have the pig-tails that it usually did but instead flowed down her back completely, secretly he actually liked that hairstyle on her better and it would be best not to tell her that.

As she stirred in her sleep, the brown-haired male smiled a bit and realized what he was thinking, causing a slight blush on his face to form as he never really thought of Abelia that way until just now. "Get a grip on yourself Jonathan, she's your childhood friend..." he told himself, then looked at the full moon, which was shining brightly on the area that they were resting at then figured that since he couldn't get some sleep, he might as well get a bit of training done for the time being though he wanted to make sure he wasn't disturbing Abelia. In fact, he found that a combination of Spheal's Defense Curl and Ice Ball attacks could double the latter's power when used in battle while Fairy-Types were immune to all Dragon-Type attacks... This could help when they take on the Pokemon Pinchers again.

_I'll be back soon Abi, that's a promise... _he thought to himself, heading off to a nearby place to train his Pokemon for a bit as he felt that something was keeping him up and he didn't know why either. Then again, for the time being he shouldn't let it dwell on him too much since he wouldn't want to worry the silver-haired girl again like he did before plus he wanted to do what he can do help should the chance ever come to it. It was then that Venonat saw him leave, catching the boy's attention. "What's up Venonat?"

_Where do you think you're going?_ asked the Hairy Bug, knowing how Abelia feels whenever Jonathan wanders off by himself. _You should be in bed right now, what would Abelia say when she discovers you took off again?_

"I know I should be in bed, but right now I can't seem to get some sleep and I haven't gotten a clue why... So maybe some late night training could help me get my mind off of that for now at least."

_Are you sure that is all you'll be doing, I really don't see how this has something to do with your going off on your own again... _answered Abelia's Bug/Poison-Type with a hint of concern and approached the boy again. _What should I tell Abelia, she may worry for as she wouldn't want what happened to her parents to happen to you too._

"I'll be fine, plus you should let her know that I'm going to do a bit of training nearby so I won't be too far from our resting place" he told Venonat, shaking his head while smiling a bit them turned to take his leave as he needed to get some training done before he and Abelia continue their journey. "I might need the training, just to be on the safe side by the way."

Venonat remained silent and watched as Jonathan went to train then sighed as he headed back to let Abelia know he'll be training though he felt as if he was being watched though had no idea what it was…. As he used his antennae to find out the exact location, there was nothing in sight which made him sigh again then continued to make his way to where his trainer was rest, it was then that whatever was making the rustling noise took a brief glance at the Bug/Poison-Type then decided to follow him.

It took a while probably about up till 7 or 8 in the morning, but Jonathan got back to their base camp, placed in the cavern they had chosen to repair themselves from the weather. At that moment, he saw that Abelia was waking up, and she was rubbing her eyes in drowsiness, trying to focus. Wondering what had caused her to wake up so suddenly, Jonathan walked over to he, and she looked up at him with her big, beautiful silver eyes. There was a hint of confusion in her face as she turned to him. "Abelia…" he murmured, his voice still uncertain. "What's the matter? Why are you up now?"

"I could say the same about you, Jonathan…" the silver-haired girl murmured, finally focusing on him. Even in the dim light of the night, Jonathan could see her soft features, somewhat marred by the aloof expression that was constantly on her face. And once again, he couldn't help but think that Abelia was a lot prettier with her hair down… "You woke up in the middle of the night… what's the matter with you?"

"I dunno, actually…" the young boy answered, sitting cross-legged near the Bug-type user. "I felt like I couldn't relax… and was kinda worried about the Pokemon Pinchers. We have already run afoul of them a couple times, and I'm pretty sure they have singled us out already. I fear… they consider us a threat and want to get us out of the way."

"I understand…" Abelia answered, her hard face softening somewhat. "You are afraid they are going to come back and try to capture us… or worse… I can't say I blame you, actually… I am kinda worried about those guys as well. Let me guess, you wanted to take a training session on the beach, right?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah… I was impulsive and tried to capture that Relicanth last time, without having the necessary skills… but now, I'm sure I have a better understanding of my skills." He answered. "In fact… why don't we go do some training together, Abi? It could be useful…"

Abelia looked at her Venonat, who quickly scuttled up to her and nodded. The pretty silver-haired girl nodded silently and stood up, wiping some dirt off her white dress. "I couldn't sleep very well too… so I'm okay with it. Who knows, maybe we can find some Pokemon to capture as well. It would certainly help for when those Pinchers come back for us." She answered, stroking Venonat on top of its head. The hairy bug cuddled close to his mistress "And… Jonathan…"

"Yeah?" Jonathan asked, curious to know what Abelia was up to… and was caught off guard when the silver-haired girl came close and hugged him tightly, holding him close as if she was afraid that he was slip away at a moment's notice. "A-Abelia?"

"Jonathan… please don't leave me…" she murmured, her voice cracking somewhat. "I… I don't want you to get far from me without me knowing… I don't want to lose you… you and my Pokemon are all I have now…"

With that, Abelia hugged Jonathan closer… and the Water-type trainer, after a moment of shock, simply hugged Abelia back and stroked her back in order to soothe her, his hand running through Abelia's smooth silver hair. "Don't worry, Abi… you know I will never leave you. And I'm sorry for trying to go away on my own. I will always warn you first if I have to go anywhere, okay?" he stated, causing the girl to nod in relief.

Abelia silently nodded her head then gave a serious expression which Jonathan gave a small sigh before continuing. "In any case, we should probably continue on our journey okay?" he suggested, if they were lucky then they might be able to get to the next town by sundown plus the two trainers could kill some by training their Pokemon while at the same time, they wouldn't have to worry about the Pokemon Pinchers for a while.

"Alright" she replied, giving a nod while once again going to her aloof state and before any of them could say another word, they heard another voice that got their attention.

"Awww.… isn't this sweet?"

They had no idea what it was but the voice came from young man their age, causing them to turn to see a boy with jet black hair, glasses, a simple white t-shirt with red rings around the short sleeves, dark blue jeans shorts, and wore black and white sneakers. "Who might you be?" asked Jonathan, somewhat not too thrilled to see this boy or the cocky expression that he had on his face.

"My name's Matthew, I'm a Pokemon trainer myself" he replied back, standing next to him was a Grass-Type Pokemon that looked somewhat like a reptile but it had a slender body, with most of it being green with a cream underside. A yellow stripe runs down the length of its back and tail, and it had yellow markings around its large eyes. Its slender arms have three fingers while its tiny feet had no digits. Two curved yellow structures that resembled leaves or small wings protrude from the shoulders and blended backwards and it had a large palmate leaf with three prongs on the end of the tail. "My Snivy and I wish to be the very best that no one ever was."

"That's a Snivy?" asked Jonathan while Abelia quietly took her Pokedex out and scanned this Grass-Type Pokemon that was near the other boy in order to find out more about the creature itself.

_Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokemon. Cool, calm, and collected, Snivy uses photosynthesis to collect energy with the leaf on its tail._

"That's right, I got him on the first day of my journey as a Pokemon Trainer in Oblivia… which Pokemon did you pick?" answered Matthew, grinning to see if Jonathan had a Pokemon that at least had an advantage over his Snivy and before the brown-haired young boy could response, his newly evolved Dewott popped out which caught the attention of Matthew and Snivy while the former shook his head. "Ha! You've got to be kidding me? That Dewott is your starter? It wouldn't last 5 seconds against my Snivy!"

Jonathan wasn't too pleased with that remark nor was Dewott. "Oh really? Just try us and we'll prove to you that it isn't always about Type-Advantages!" he said, which Dewott nodded his head in agreement with his trainer and got ready to face Matthew and his arrogant Snivy much to Abelia's displeasure. "Are you ready, Dewott? We are going to give this guy a bit of a lesson!"

"_I'm already on it, Jonathan!_" Dewott exclaimed, twirling his twin scallops in both his hands. "_So, you're the Pokemon I'm supposed to be fighting against? No offense, but you really don't look like much!_"

"_Yeah, lots of people told me that._" Snivy answered haughtily, opening up his fan-shaped tail of leaves. "_But I think you'll be surprised to see that first impressions might deceive._"

"_Really? Well, that's what we'll see right now, pal! Prepare to lose!_" Dewott exclaimed, getting ready to battle. Abelia sighed and shook her head, murmuring something to herself about how Jonathan and Dewott had fallen for that trap hook line and sinker… and one second later, Jonathan gave an order, and the battle began in earnest!

"Let's go for it, Dewott! Start off with Tail Whip to lower his defenses!" Jonathan ordered. Dewott smirked and shook his tail, lightly whipping Snivy in order to make him more vulnerable to the next attacks… but he was surprised in an unpleasant way when Snivy seemed to actually be bolstered by the stat-lowering move. Even Abelia, who had been acting dismissive of the whole battle, widened her eyes in surprise when Matthew's Snivy stood straight and briefly glowed in a blue aura.

"_What?_" Dewott exclaimed. "_How… What is going on here? I thought my Tail Whip had lowered Snivy's defenses!_"

"Well, it would have worked on any other Pokemon…" Matthew exclaimed with a small smirk. "But, you see, my Snivy has a special ability called Contrary. Basically, every move that alters Snivy's stats has the opposite effect: stats are raised instead of lowered, or lowered instead of raised. Now, Snivy… use Leaf Tornado!"

"_Right away!_" Snivy answered, firing a whirlwind of leaves at Dewott and hitting him head-on! Dewott yelped in pain and crashed to the ground, but managed to quickly pick himself up and recovered his scallops, striking another fighting pose.

"What?" a surprised Jonathan exclaimed. "But then… you can't use any boosting move yourself!"

"Exactly." Matthew answered. "But why should I want to do it, when my opponent is going to power up my Snivy in my place? Oh, and of course… if my Snivy uses a move that causes some stats to drop, they are raised instead!"

"Well, that's all very interesting and stuff, but you forgot one teensy little detail…" Jonathan answered.

Matthew smirked and looked at Jonathan with a hint of arrogance to his face. "Oh, really? And what would that detail be?" he snarked, as Snivy started preparing another Leaf Tornado.

Jonathan answered with a winning smile. "You just told me what your Snivy's ability does, dumbass!" he exclaimed, causing Matthew's expression to suddenly change into one of shock and surprise, as he realized he had just committed a vital mistake! "Now I know that I mustn't use any status-lowering move on Snivy, and I will instead attack head-on with all I've got! Go, Dewott! Strike him down with Fury Cutter!"

"_Already on it!_" Dewott exclaimed, before jumping at Snivy and slashing at him with his twin shell-like blades, drawing a colored trail in midair. Snivy was hit by the two blows and was sent back, yelping in pain, but quickly answered with a Tackle attack that forced Dewott back. Quickly moving on his feet, Dewott raised his scallops again and got ready to face another attack.

Abelia nodded to herself, barely concealing a small smile at seeing Jonathan and Dewott starting to put Matthew and Snivy on the ropes. It seemed Jonathan's training has been useful indeed, and now he knew well what moves to use against a Grass-type opponent. However, his opponent was not quite finished yet, and it showed.

"Well, I'll admit I was careless… but you're not getting the jump on me so easily!" Matthew exclaimed. "Snivy, use your Leech Seed attack!"

"_I got this, Matthew! He's not going to defeat me that easily!_" the Grass Snake Pokemon answered, before launching a bunch of seeds at the otter-like Pokemon. Dewott moved aside and managed to dodge the first two, but the others were too fast and struck the otter-like Pokemon, instantly bursting into a net of plants that entangled themselves around Dewott's arms and legs. With a yelp, Dewott felt his energy being drained and transferred to Snivy, in the form of several dots of green light that travelled from him to his opponent!

"What the hell was that?!" exclaimed Jonathan, not liking the looks of this and more so as he sees that his Dewott was slowly beginning to get weaker while Matthew gave him a grin, then began laughing which was never a good sign. "What's so funny?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet? Thanks Snivy's Leech Seed attack, he regains 1/8 health whenever it zaps the opponent…. However… Take a good look at what my Grass-Type is holding right now…" he pointed to the root-like item that his Snivy was currently holding in his possession. "If a Pokemon is holding the item known as the Big Root, then it will instead regain 30% more HP as opposed to the initial amount, as you can see… I know how to use items in battle for good strategies."

_That's just great…._ Jonathan thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he needed to end this battle fast while at the same time needed to be careful should that Snivy of his use another Grass-Type move, especially one that would increase his stats instead of lowering them but to his dismay, Matthew had another grin as his Snivy did not just have Leaf Tornado.

"If you think my Leaf Tornado was powerful, you ain't seen anything yet!" mocked Matthew, having his Snivy jump into the air and spin around as leaves began to form around his entire body while Jonathan and Dewott wondered what their opponents were planning. "Now… use your Leaf Storm attack!"

_Take this! _yelled Snivy, unleashing an even more powerful Grass-Type attack right at Dewott's direction and to Jonathan, he needed to act fast as if that Leaf Storm attack hits then it might be over for him and his Discipline Pokemon, there is no way he would allow that to happen especially despite the Type-Disadvantage he had.

"Hurry and use Aqua Jet to dodge the attack!" he quickly ordered, Dewott's priority attack managed to save him at the last minute and he made direct contact with Snivy but it wasn't very effective plus to make matters worse, the Contrary ability increased Snivy's Special Attack now and thanks to the effects both Leech Seed as well as that Big Root the Grass Snake was holding… his opponent's Pokemon would regain health, yet Jonathan had an idea that he hoped it would work as he'd best not take any chances. "Alright, time to use that Fury Cutter attack again!"

Dewott nodded and sent out another Fury Cutter attack, if he was correct, then he'd best use Fury Cutter only as each time it successfully hits an opponent, it deals more damage provided he doesn't try to use a different attack. "Keep using Fury Cutter!" he told his starter, though to Matthew, he wasn't going to allow Dewott to make the Bug-Type move stronger.

"Counter it with your Vine Whip attack!" he said to Snivy, which two vines were produced from his Grass-Type's neck and caught Dewott off-guard as it scored a direct hit as Jonathan's newly made rival knows how to deal with Water-Types, especially ones that are given as Starter Pokemon to new trainers such as himself. "Do you really think this is the best that you can do against us?"

Jonathan gritted his teeth as he saw Dewott once again being zapped by the Leech Seed and Snivy was once again regaining health. "Dammit…. What can I do?" he asked himself but refuses to lose to this guy then glanced at his starter and hoped he can come up with a good plan soon.

"If you're done stalling for time? Then I have a match to win…" frowned Matthew, seeing that now is the time for him to end this pity battle and just when he thought things were going to get interesting as well and the male Grass Snake had similar thoughts as his trainer. "Use Leaf Storm and wipe him out now!"

Snivy grinned as he got ready to use his strongest Grass-Type move to finish his battle against Dewott once and for all, then Jonathan mentally cursed to himself before something popped into his head. "Dewott, get ready to dodge the attack when I give the signal." He said to Dewott, who slowly nodded his head before prepared to strike with his Normal-Type move the moment that Leaf Storm is used and right on cue, Jonathan gave the signal. "Now, dodge it and get ready to use your Fury Cutter!"

_Got it!_ Dewott responded back and jumped out of the way of the Leaf Storm attack, then with one yell…. He slashed at Snivy with the powerful Fury Cutter in order to end the battle quickly but Jonathan wasn't quite done just yet as Matthew would soon see.

"Hurry and use Fury Cutter again!" he said, Dewott was more than happy to oblige with that command, which proved to be powerful enough to knock Snivy down onto the ground below and can only hope that it would be enough to finish the Grass-Type off. "Alright, I think we got him… great job!"

However, their cheers would be interrupted as they saw that Snivy was starting to get back up and refused to be defeated against Dewott… more so with the Grass Snake beginning to glow in a bright white light, to Jonathan, Abelia, Dewott and Venonat it wasn't the Contrary ability this time around but an evolution taking place. _Oh man…._ muttered Dewott as the evolution was making Matthew's Pokemon even more powerful and it seemed like an eternity but the light finally faded with Snivy having taken on a brand new form much to the shock of Jonathan and Dewott.

"Well, would you look at that? My Snivy is now a Servine!" grinned Matthew, realizing it was about time that his Snivy evolved and at the same time he was somewhat surprised that Jonathan was able to pull off such a trick like that to catch them off-guard. Needless to say, Jonathan and Abelia were currently at a loss of words as the brown-haired young boy was facing a more formidable foe, a sign that Matthew has indeed raised his Starter Pokemon well especially as the silver-haired girl took her Pokedex out again to scan the newly evolved Servine in order to find out more on what Jonathan was now up against.

_Servine, the Grass Snake Pokemon and the evolved form of Snivy. Servine whips its opponents with vines, and dodges their attacks by hiding in the shadows of thick foliage._

_Now do you see that there's no chance of you winning? _asked Servine, seeing as it was his newly evolved form against Dewott and felt more rejuvenated as the Leech Seed zapped Dewott again while the Big Root allowed the male Grass-Type to regain 30% more health which made him stronger and his ability increased his Special Attack even higher.

_There's no way in hell Jonathan and I are going to back down!_ answered Dewott, seeing that he and Jonathan were going to have one hell of a battle now that Snivy had evolved into Servine, still they weren't gonna give up not when they were this far. _We have a few surprises of our own and we'll be sure to dish them out! Afterall, if we were able to hold our own against the Pokemon Pinchers then we can handle you as well!_

_That's nice to know… then show me with your own power that you aren't all talk!_ Servine haughtily commented, getting ready to attack and deal a deciding blow. Dewott crouched low and got ready to counter, circling around his opponent and keeping both of his scallops held up to his sides. With a slight smirk, he kept his gaze on the grass snake, and Jonathan got ready to call out another order. Abelia, for her part, watched in silence, hoping that Jonathan and his Dewott would be able to pull off a victory, even with the type disadvantage.

"Alright, Dewott, we need to end it right here and now!" Jonathan exclaimed. "Use a Fury Cutter again! With all the times you used it; it should be really strong right now!"

Matthew smirked confidently. "Well, well, looks like we've gotten to the end of the battle! Okay, Servine, give him a taste of your Slam attack! This time, there is no way he will be able to withstand that!" he said. Both Pokemon glared at each other, and then, as if they were responding to the exact same order, they dashed towards each other, closing the distance in an heartbeat! Dewott saw everything go in slow motion as he and Servine got closer to each other, looking in each other's eyes while rearing for the deciding blow…

And, in a moment, they struck at the same time!

Dewott and Servine flew past each other and landed on the ground, their eyes still cast forward and both of them still in a thrusting position, and the two boys held their breath for what they thought was going to be a short wait until one of the two Pokemon fell to the ground unconscious. A few seconds passed, none of them ever moving a muscle…

And, in a shocking display, both Dewott and Servine slumped to the ground at the same time and fainted, while Abelia sighed, put a hand on her forehead and shook her head in a gesture of exasperation.

The battle was over… without anyone winning or losing.

"Darn… I can't believe I lost… even with type advantage on my side!" Matthew exclaimed, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Sigh… well, kiddo, I have to say, you're pretty good to have defeated my Servine like that."

Jonathan sighed and petted his Dewott, telling him he had done a great job before recalling him into his Pokeball. "You did great, Dewott… well, Matthew, let's call it a draw for now. But rest assured, we will meet again, and when that happens, I'll make sure I'll win the rematch!" he commented.

"Heh… I look forward to that, pal!" Matthew said with a slight smirk. "I'll train my Pokemon a little more, and then I'll go looking for you and challenge you again. Oh, and by the way… nice catch you've gotten yourself there! She's quite a looker, even though the clothing can use some work!" He pointed at Abelia and winked mischievously, which caused the silver-haired Bug-type enthusiast to turn away, a cutely annoyed expression on her face.

"Hmph." Abelia answered. "Sorry, dude, I'm not available."

Matthew placed his hands in front of himself in mock apology. "Fine, girl, no need to bite my head off." He answered. "Okay then… I'll see you two next time! Try not to disappoint me next time!"

"Took the words right outta my mouth, pal." Jonathan answered, keeping his eyes on Matthew as his newfound rival walked away. Soon, Matthew's figure disappeared, leaving Jonathan and Abelia alone in the clearing. A few moment of embarrassed silence followed before Abelia spoke up.

"Well, that was tougher than you thought, I guess." She said, sighing as she flipped one of her pigtails away. "Goes just to show that you can never predict when you'll meet a strong opponent. We're going to need a fair bit of further training before we can say we can take on the Pokemon Pinchers, right?"

"You're telling me something I already know, Abi…" he answered. "But rest assured, I'm not going to stop trying because of this. Next time we meet, it will be Matthew to lose, you can be sure of that."

"Just make sure to put your money where your mouth is, and take him down next time." Abelia calmly retorted. "Now… what are your plans? Aside from getting to a Pokemon Center and get Dewott fixed up?"

Jonathan fixed his trademark headband before answering. "Well… first things first, I'll see about that Pokemon Center. While Dolce Island might be mostly deserted, there should be a few places for explorers and Pokemon Rangers to gather, and they will have a Pokemon Center there too." He said. "After that… well, I think we can look for a few more new Pokemon, and then we'll be off to the next destination. Hopefully we won't run into the Pokemon Pinchers or something like that."

There was nothing but silence from Abelia, which she gave a small sigh then they decided to head off for the Pokemon Center in order to heal Dewott, however Jonathan's thoughts were on the match he had against Matthew and his recently evolved Servine, which means if Matthew was a skilled opponent with an Unova Starter, he could hardly imagine how strong the Tepig line would be… that is, if they encounter a trainer with a Tepig or its evolved form Pignite which might not be for a while.

The silver-haired girl on the other hand, glanced at her childhood friend as he was looking at the Pokeball that held his fainted Dewott, while it was the first time Discipline Pokemon went up against another Unova Starter Pokemon, the match proved to be more difficult than facing any members of the Pokemon Pinchers and odds are they would be encountering Matthew again in the future.

Their thoughts were interrupted by the shaking of a bush and Venipede popped out of Abelia's Pokeball much to the surprise of her and Jonathan. "Venipede?" asked Abelia, in slight surprise as her Bug/Poison-Type never actually let itself out before without a good reason, however it wouldn't be long before two Pokemon jumped out at him, one was a small insectoid Pokemon that resembles three pieces of orange hexagonal honeycomb stuck together. Each hexagon has a round yellow face with a red spot on the forehead of its lower face. The bottom-center face is the main thinker of the three, and it is also the only one "bee" to have a full abdomen The top two hexagons have a single antenna and a wing connected to an orange-colored joint.

The other Pokemon had four legs tipped with blue, conical feet. Its ovoid body is completely covered in yellow fur, with notable tufts sticking out on each side of its face, just over each eye, and its lower back. It also has four blue eyes, the two larger eyes are set relatively far apart on its face, contain black pupils while the two smaller simple eyes are situated between the first pair, slightly higher up on its face. The Pokemon's mandibles point downward and reside at the bottom of its face, where they closely resemble tufts of hair.

"What are those Pokemon?" asked Jonathan, somewhat surprised by the fact that there were two Pokemon popping out and remembered when something like this happened to him when he first encountered Spheal and Marill.

"I'm not sure" answered Abelia in the usual aloof tone she had, taking her Pokedex out in order to see what they were currently up against and from the looks of it, using only her Venipede against them would be completely ill-advised. "Let's see what the Pokedex says about them."

_Combee, the Tiny Bee Pokemon. When sleeping, Combee stack up on each other like a hive._

_Joltik, the Attaching Pokemon. Joltik cling to larger Pokemon, and absorbs static electricity, storing the energy in a special pouch._

Remaining silent, the silver-haired girl took another glance at the two opposing wild Pokemon and is mentally glad it wasn't a horde battle as at this point, neither she nor Jonathan had taught their respective Pokemon moves that could hit multiple opponents. "Go Nincada!" she spoke, sending her Bug/Ground-Type to assist Venipede against the Joltik and Combee plus from the looks of it, this Combee has to be female since it had a red spot on the lower face.

_I don't know who you are but I have learned to treat everyone here as enemies…_ began the Attaching Pokemon, luckily Nincada was immune to any Electric-Type moves that Joltik might know but Combee would be the bigger problem since Flying-Types have an immunity to Ground-Type moves while Bug-Types in general are resistant to Ground-Type moves such as Dig.

_What makes you say that? _asked Venipede with a look of anger on his face at the comment that one of the two opposing Bug-Types made and Nincada has similar thoughts. _Why the hell would you treat everyone as enemies anyway?_

This time it was Combee who spoke. _Like you would want to know, unfortunately… Not even your partner's immunity to Electric-Type moves would help… _she spoke, closing her eyes as she had expected that they would encounter an opponent which would either be resistant to Electric-Type attacks or immune to them. _Because I have an advantage over opposing Bug-Types due to being part Flying-Type._

_Maybe, but we'll show you that Type Advantages aren't everything!_ responded Nincada, nodding to Venipede and then back at the two Bug-Types that they were going up against then got ready for the upcoming battle.

Jonathan watched from a near distant, knowing that Abelia would do well in her first double wild Pokemon battle… if he was able to win his, then his childhood friend will do so too since she did well so far as a Pokemon Trainer. "Good luck Abi, show them what you're made of!" he rooted for the silver-haired girl who didn't respond to him while keeping her aloof expression.

"Venipede, use Defense Curl!" she told her Bug/Poison-Type as she wanted to get him ready to make his next move, if she was right then Combee would have a double weakness to Rock-Type moves then got Nincada ready to help just in case Joltik goes to help its partner. "Now us Rollout on Combee!"

_Not if I can help it!_ yelled Joltik, witnessing Venipede curling up into a ball and then began using his Rollout at Combee, something the Attaching Pokemon refused to allow whatsoever as he retaliate with sparks of yellow electricity that appeared from in between his mandibles before firing it as a stream of yellow electricity into the air. As it flew through the air, the tip opened up and expanded, forming into a large spider-web of electricity.

"Nincada, use your body to protect Venipede now!" commanded Abelia, making use of Nincada's immunity to Electric-Type attacks as he moved in front of Venipede to take the hit from the web itself, covering over him while allowing Venipede's attack to continue only for Combee to fly up to avoid being hit by the Rock-Type move. "Alright then…. Use Scratch on Joltik to keep it preoccupied!"

Nicada jumped up and hit the electric spider with his clawed forelimbs in order to throw it off its game, actually managing to force the Bug / Electric Pokemon on its back for a couple seconds. With an angry hiss, Joltik picked itself up, just as Combee was trying another attack on Venipede. "_Alright, here's a special delivery!_" the strange beehive Pokemon exclaimed. "_What do you think of this Gust attack?_"

Furiously beating her wings, Combee sent a powerful blast of wind in the form of a miniature tornado at Venipede, hitting him and sending him tumbling to the ground… but the pillbug-like Pokemon was soon able to pick himself up and stand on guard. "_No worries, Abelia, I've still got this!_" Venipede exclaimed, before glaring angrily at Combee. "_Although I must say, you're really beginning to get on my nerves! How about you explain to me how is everyone an enemy around here? You're still hanging around with your Joltik friend, anyway!_"

"_Joltik is pretty much the exception that confirms the rule…_" Combee answered, getting somewhat sad, which both Venipede and Abelia were able to sense in the Bug/ Flying type Pokemon's voice. "_You seem to think that life in the wild is nice for a Pokemon. That might be true in certain places, but here on Dolce Island, things are rather different! You must always watch your back for predators who would like nothing more than to make a meal out of you, and trainers are no better. They chase us around, trying to disturb our lives and take us along in one of their crazy adventures to become Pokemon Masters, or some other nonsense like that!_"

"_So we have decided that we won't allow anyone to disturb us, and we would treat anyone as an outsider!_" Joltik continued, trying to dodge a Fury Swipes attack from Nincada. The Bug/Ground Pokemon slashed several times with her forelimbs, and two hits staggered the electric tick.

"_In that case… there is no chance but to fight back, is there?_" Nincada answered. Abelia nodded and smiled slightly when she saw Venipede skillfully dodging the next Gust attack that Combee used against him, and called for a new attack.

"Venipede, attack with Poison Sting!" the silver-haired Bug-type fan ordered. Venipede reared back and fired a small stinger from his mouth, hitting Combee before she could dodge… and the Bug / Flying type immediately began feeling dizzy, losing altitude and swaying in its flight!

"I think that attack did it!" Jonathan said, recognizing the symptoms. "Your Poison Sting has poisoned Combee!"

"_Darn… now that is something I was hoping wouldn't happen…_" the beehive-like Pokemon murmured, casting a glance at Joltik, who was still busy dealing with Nincada. Abelia, for her part, the girl smirked confidently and gave the order she hoped would be the deciding one.

"That's the way you do it, Venipede! Let's wrap it up with Venoshock!" she exclaimed, knowing that this particular move was going to be doubly effective against an opponent who was already poisoned. Venipede pointed his antennae at the opponent and shot out a gout of venomous liquid that swamped Combee, causing her to lose balance and fall to the ground in a daze, her strength almost completely drained.

"_Nicely done, Venipede! I really hope I can become just as skilled as you are with time and training!_" Nincada answered, receiving a wink from Venipede and Abelia as he parries Joltik's Bug Bite attack. Jonathan nodded, impressed with Abelia's skill despite her having just started out as well…

Joltik realized the odds are starting to change, especially with his companion Combee having been defeated but he vowed that he would avenge her defeat, no matter what the risks are as he approached the Bug/Flying-Type. _I am sorry… I think we could have a chance to win against her…_ she spoke, still exhausted from having been beaten by the two Bug-Types that they were fighting against, _Still… she seems to be rather skilled in raising those Pokemon all things considered….._

_You don't have to apologize, you've done all you could…._ He reassured his fallen partner, and then gave a darkened glare at both Venipede and Nincada, seeing that they were making one hell of a comeback despite the hard time that he and Combee were giving them. _They will soon be getting a taste of my true power._

With that said, he proceeded with using an Agility attack which increased his speed and made him move from place to place which made Jonathan, Abelia and the silver-haired girl's two Bug-Type Pokemon wonder what the opposing Bug-Type was planning. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this…" Jonathan silently muttered to himself, more so as an Orb of yellow and orange electricity with yellow electric sparks began forming around Joltik in front of his mouth then without any hesitation and upon being in the right position, he fired the orb at Venipede, who had no time to react before being struck by the orb and an explosion occurred. "What the?! Just what the hell was that?!"

_That was my Electro Ball attack, Human….It may be powerful but it gets stronger if my opponent's speed is lower than my own_ answered Joltik, just as the smoke from the explosion began to clear up… there was sparks of electric sparks in the dust and Venipede had been badly injured by the attack much to Abelia's dismay_. From the looks of it, I'd say that Bug/Poison-Type won't be lasting another attack and it will just leave me and that Bug/Ground-Type to deal with._

_D…Don't count me out… I'm not beaten just yet! _snapped Venipede before he began glowing in a bright white light, signifying that he was evolving with Jonathan, Abelia and Nincada all in awe as the Centipede Pokemon started changing form and growing bigger, while Joltik was completely shocked by the fact that his opponent was starting to become stronger than he was previously… when the light faded, the Bug/Poison-Type became an insectoid Pokemon encased in a hard, segmented shell. He now had two pairs of gray, horn-like feelers with dark gray stripes, with one pair extended upward from its front and the other pointing downward from his lower rear. Two poisonous barbs flanked either side of each segment of his shell. The shell itself was gray, with red rings in the middle of each segment and a darker gray border circling his open center. His eyes were shown within the center, and have slitted pupils, yellow sclerae and thick, gray eyelids.

"Venipede just evolved!" exclaimed Jonathan as Abelia took her Pokedex out and scanned her newly evolved Pokemon with it to find out more on the new form that Venipede had taken.

_Whirlipede, the Curlipede Pokemon and the evolved form of Venipede, Whirlipede can spin its hard shelled body like a tire to smash into opponents._

_This shouldn't even be possible! _exclaimed Joltik, knowing there was no way Venipede could have survived that point-blank Electro Ball attack, especially as it wasn't just his strongest move but the combination of it and Agility made it the best combination in battle. _My attack should have knocked you out right there and then!_

_It should have, but it didn't… especially thanks to my Speed Boost ability increasing my speed the longer I'm in the battle!_ responded the newly evolved Whirlipede, shocking both Jonathan and Abelia somewhat the moment he revealed that he had a unique ability that most Pokemon from the Venipede line doesn't have though at the same time, the Bug/Poison-Type felt bad about having hidden the fact from both trainers that he came from the Dream World.

To Abelia however, she decided to stop the match immediately. "You know, if you and Combee had someone who cared about you… maybe things might have gone differently…" she spoke in her aloof tone while Jonathan stayed silence, having a feeling his childhood friend was going try and attempt to befriend with the two Bug-Types she was facing, only hoping she knows what she's doing.

_What? What game are you playing, human?_ Joltik exclaimed, frowning in doubt. _Is this a ploy to get us to drop our guard or what?_

"No trick here. I'm sure Whirlipede here will be able to reassure you on that." Abelia answered, her voice getting softer, a hint of a smile on her usually stern features. "I'm sure that, if you were to meet some friends and perhaps make friends with some human beings, you would not only become a lot stronger, but you'd be happier as well. How about it? You wouldn't have to keep watching your backs for every sort of trouble, and you'd be able to see the world and all sorts of wonderful things. And best thing of all, you wouldn't have to be separated. I'd bring you along in our journey, and we'd get stronger together. Don't you think that will be a great idea?"

Jonathan blinked, somewhat surprised that Abelia was actually making such a proposal, and the two wild Bug-type Pokemon seemed a little hesitant as they looked at each other…

_I can vouch for Abelia! She means what she's saying!_ Whirlipede intervened. _After all, if it hadn't been for her training and her care, I wouldn't have been able to evolve into a Whirlipede… and I'm sure that if I keep at it, I'll become a mighty Scolipede soon!_

"So, little guys, what do you say to this?" Abelia asked Combee and Joltik, who stood there in surprise for a few moments, looking at each other… and finally, Combee decided it could be a good idea to try.

_I think we don't have anything to lose from that, Joltik._ She ventured. _I mean, if that really means we won't have to be on the lookout for enemies all the time… wouldn't it be a net gain for us? We would be living quite comfortably, after all. Yes, we'd probably have to fight other Pokemon in trainer battles, but at least we'd have partners and a human to care about us._

Joltik seemed to be unsure for a moment… and then, after carefully considering the pros and cons, he decided that it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. _Well… that sounds like a good idea now that I think of it… _ he finally decided. _Fine… Abelia is your name, young human, right? Fine then… throw your Pokeballs, we are going to try being your Pokemon. Who knows, we might even end up liking it…_

_That's a nice decision! I'm sure you'll love being Abelia's Pokemon!_ Nincada answered cheerily, as she watched her silver-haired trainer take a pair of Pokeballs out of her bag. She aimed carefully and threw one Pokeball at each Pokemon, hitting them as they stood in place ready to become part of Abelia's team. Both Pokemon were touched and absorbed by the capturing devices, which fell to the ground with a metallic sound. They shook for a few moments, and then stood still, signaling that both Combee and Joltik had been caught! Abelia walked up to the Pokeballs and picked them up, regarding them with a satisfied smile.

"Well, I guess you could say it was an eventful day right, Jonathan?" she asked her childhood friend, who was clapping his hands at her along with his Dewott. "You've got yourself a nice rival, I've gotten myself two new Pokemon, and we've both done our fair deal of training. I guess we can continue on our way in a few days, don't you think so?"

"Yes, I'm inclined to agree…" Jonathan answered, watching with fondness as Abelia picked up her Whirlipede and her Nincada and cuddled them. "I think we'll have gotten our teams strong enough, and I'm curious to see what else awaits for us in the next island. Furthermore… I think my Omanyte would love it when we get to a certain place…"

_Which place is that, Jonathan?_ Nincada asked in curiosity. _And why would your Omanyte be happy to see that place?_

"I'll tell you later… for now, I think we're better off returning to our base camp and resting ourselves and our Pokemon." Jonathan explained gently. "We're still going to have a few days of training in front of us."

Abelia nodded, frowning a little as he thought what Jonathan could mean by that…

**Oooooooooo**

A few days have passed since Jonathan's battle against his new rival Matthew, both the brown-haired young boy and Abelia have been training for quite sometime especially in case that they have another encounter with either Matthew or the Pokemon Pinchers. To the silver-haired girl, she was hoping to better get to know her newly caught Joltik and Combee especially as she has learned that not only does Agility make his Electro Ball attack stronger but has another attack known as Thunder Wave which paralyzes opposing Pokemon that aren't either Electric-Types or Ground-Types.

Though it wasn't for long after they decided to take a break, until the two encountered a school of Water-Type Pokemon at a pond near where they were training, all of which were cyan Pokémon with two yellow antennae atop their heads. They had two claws: one claw forms a single, sharp point, while the other is significantly larger, with two parts, forming a classic pincer. The lower part of this pincer is smaller and yellow. They had black-grey stripes along the end of each abdominal segment and around their claws. They had four small cyan legs that are curved and come to a point, these Water-Types also had a light grey underside, three pointed mouthparts, round yellow eyes with a small, black pupil, and two small trapezoid tail-parts protruding from their lower abdomen. A horizontal line encompasses the front of their respective carapaces, in line with their eyelids, up until a second vertical line that encompasses their carapaces completely. They also light grey segments on the parts of its legs and claws closest to their body.

However, there was one that catch Jonathan's eye as this one was rather unique compared to the others he had seen before it as this one was a reddish orange as opposed to the cyan of its brethren, it had dark blue antennae instead of yellow antennae, the lower part of its larger pincher had cyan instead of yellow, the stripes were white instead of black-grey and cyan eyes instead of yellow eyes. "I wonder what kind of Pokemon those are?" Jonathan asked himself, taking his Pokedex out to scan the Pokemon that were right in front of them.

_Clauncher, the Water Gun Pokemon. Clauncher fires compressed water from the arm gun on its right claw and damages foes with impact from the water._

"Sounds pretty cool, especially that red one!" said Jonathan with a slight grin on his face, having decided right there and then that he was going to catch that red Clauncher and had a Pokeball ready in his right hand. "Let's go Omanyte!"

Upon Omanyte being let out of her Pokeball to take on the red Clauncher in the horde, Abelia gave a small sigh. "Some things never change huh Jonathan" she said, having a feeling that he would resort to something like this without thinking.

"Don't worry Abi, I can handle whatever attacks that Pokemon has" responded the brown-haired boy, giving his silver-haired childhood friend a bright smile then turned his attention back towards the red Clauncher. "Okay, Omanyte, use your Spike Cannon attack on that red Clauncher now!"

Omanyte gave her trainer a nod of her head as she jumped into the pond to better fight off the red Clauncher and her shell began glowing in a bright white light then she began shooting out multiple spikes from her mouth, striking the Clauncher from behind while it's back was turned away from her. How dare you attack me while my back was turned! yelled the red Water Gun Pokemon, getting into a fighting stance and proceeded with delivering a swift Crabhammer at the Rock/Water-Type.

"Dodge and use Constrict!" countered Jonathan, his Spiral Pokemon dodged the Crabhammer then began wrapping her tentacles around the red Pokemon in question. "Alright, keep it up Omanyte!"

However, the wild Pokemon began grinning as soon had its right pincher onto Omanyte's blue skin and squeezed it so hard that it forced her to let go. That was a little taste or my Vice Grip attack and let's see if you can withstand this! With that said, its right claw began to form a light blue energy orb from inside and then fired it right at Omanyte, catching her off-guard as it actually did more damage than it normally would to her. "What the?!" exclaimed Jonathan in shock at this. "What the hell was that?!"

_That was my Water Pulse attack, it not only does damage but it has a slight chance of confusing the Pokemon that gets hit!_ explained Clauncher with a glare at Jonathan and Abelia but it wasn't done just yet as there was something else the two humans should know. _Oh and it is stronger because of my Mega Launcher ability, which increases the power of certain attacks and Water Pulse is one of those moves._

Needless to say, things are not going to be easy as Jonathan has originally hoped it would be as it seems Omanyte wasn't feeling well and felt woozy. _I don't feel so hot..._ she muttered as if she seems to be swaying around and looking like she was dancing in the pond.

"Oh no" said Abelia, realizing what this meant and turned to her childhood friend. "Jonathan, you need to switch to one of your other Pokemon, Omanyte has just gotten confused!"

"Dammit!" he mentally cursed though he couldn't give up now as the red Clauncher would get away if he did go through with it. "Okay, try to concentrate and be ready to use Spike Cannon again when I give the signal!"

_I... I can try..._ answered Omanyte, especially as it won't be easy fighting in her confused state as she could risk hurting herself in her confusion and the red Clauncher knew it too, which was something that it was going to use to its advantage. Omanyte grit her teeth and tried to concentrate on the unsteady image of Clauncher in front of her, before narrowing her eyes and firing several spikes at the crustacean. However, her aim was off, and Clauncher was easily able to sidestep the attack, scuttling about on his segmented legs. Omanyte swayed from side to side, and fell to the ground awkwardly as her tentacles lost grip on the ground. _Ouch! S-sorry, Jonathan… this is harder than I thought…_

"Just try to hold on, Omanyte! The confusion can't last forever!" Jonathan instructed his Pokemon, who stood up and tried to shake off the effects of Water Pulse.

_Well, that much is true._ Clauncher admitted. _However, the question is, will you be able to last long enough to shrug it off?_

_Don't… underestimate me! _Omanyte exclaimed. This time, she had a better idea where to attack, and Jonathan tried to guide her better.

"Okay… wait for it, Omanyte…" Jonathan instructed her as the pistol shrimp Pokemon approached, raising his oversized claw. "Wait for it… alright, do it now! Use Bite!"

Clauncher shot forward, trying to grab Omanyte with a Vice Grip attack… but Omanyte reacted quickly and caught the opponent's flailing claw with her short tentacles, before delivering a punishing bite to Clauncher's back! The pistol shrimp Pokemon widened his eyes in surprise and pain, before starting to thrash about in an attempt to shrug off the menace, but Omanyte held out, wrapping her tentacles around Clauncher's armored body! Another Constrict attack caused the crustacean Pokemon to writhe in discomfort.

"Alright, Omanyte! Keep it up!" Jonathan exclaimed, seeing his Pokemon getting an advantage. "Now… use your Brine attack!"

_Right away!_ Omanyte exclaimed, quickly separating herself from Clauncher before firing a powerful stream of saltwater at him, and striking him head-on! The crustacean Pokemon screeched angrily as it was pushed back by the sheer force of the attack, and was blasted to the ground, where he stayed for a moment, stunned by the blow. _Yay! I… I think I got him!_

_Uuuugh… now… now that I didn't see coming…_ Clauncher murmured, standing up and trying to get back on his guard. _You are a skilled trainer alright… but I'm not going to make it easy on you! See if you like my Swords Dance!_

With that, Clauncher raised his oversized claw in the air and began dancing in place. For a moment, Jonathan was able to see a few swords made of light appear around the shrimp-like Pokemon and rotate about in a threatening manner as Clauncher's attack power was boosted… and one second later, Clauncher launched himself at Omanyte and swung his claw around!

"Be careful, Jonathan! That's a Crabhammer attack!" Abelia exclaimed in surprise, raising her voice! Omanyte widened her eyes in alarm and tried to protect herself from the blow, as Jonathan thought quickly in order to allow his fossil Pokemon to withstand the mighty swing!

"Omanyte, use Protect!" Jonathan ordered hastily! Omanyte quickly complied, creating a barrier of shimmering energy around her body and managing to sway the Crabhammer, which bounces harmlessly off of the forcefield, leaving Clauncher stunned and surprised, and unable to react when Omanyte attacked again! "Alright, that's what I'm talking about! Now… attack with Mud Shot!"

_I got it!_ Omanyte exclaimed, the effects of confusion finally fading. The nautilus-like Pokemon raised her tentacles and fired a powerful blast of mud at her opponent, hitting Clauncher straight in the face, and sending the shrimp-like Pokemon speawled on the ground!

_Uuuugh… Okay… okay, fine, I give!_ Clauncher murmured. _I… think I've had enough. You are a strong trainer, young man, and I'll be glad to be part of your team. What's your name, by the way?_

"My name is Jonathan. Jonathan Seabright!" the boy answered happily, petting his Omanyte and thanking her for a job well done. "And this lovely lady here is my friend Abelia! We'll be happy to have you onboard!"

Abelia smiled slightly and bowed to the shiny Clauncher. "A pleasure to meet you, Clauncher." She said… before she frowned and blushed slightly at how Jonathan had called her. "Hold on a second… lovely?"

_Jonathan Seabright, huh? Well, what can I say, this might be my lucky day as well. _The red Clauncher commented. _Go on and throw your Pokeball, Jonathan._

"Right away!" the boy answered, grabbing a Pokeball and throwing it at Clauncher. The capture device made contact, and the Water-type was sucked in and allowed himself to be captured. A satisfying clicking sound and a beep later, the Pokeball stopped moving… and Jonathan grabbed it and lifted it up in the air in triumph! "Alright! I got a Clauncher! Thank you, Omanyte! Thank you, Abelia! You two really helped out!"

"Oh… it was nothing. Just try to be more careful next time." Abelia said, looking away from Jonathan. The young boy chuckled to himself, recognizing how Abelia was trying to look indifferent.

_It was a pleasure to help! _Omanyte answered, lifting a tentacle in a victory gesture. _Well, what can I say… it was a good idea to stop here in Dolce Island. The training we did… gave quite the results, huh?_

"Yeah… and now, we're ready to go further!" Jonathan said. "Watch out, rivals, Gyms, Pokemon Pinchers, whatever! Jonathan, Abelia and their Pokemon will take you by storm!"

"Let's just hope we don't get swept away…" Abelia concluded with a sigh…

**ooooooooooo**

**Note: Well, that's that for now. I couldn't get any inspiration to continue this story, but now, I managed to work up something, thanks to EmperorDraco7 helping out! ****Next time, we'll meet some new characters, who will get Jonathan and Abelia involved in a new and exciting adventure! What will happen next?**

**Find out, on the next chapter of Rise of the Young Adventurers! **


End file.
